The actions of Telegram founder Pavel Durov are under investigation as part of a criminal case concerning support for terrorist activities. This was reported by "Russian Gazette" and "Komsomolskaya Pravda", citing the FSB.
According to these publications, the investigation under part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code is linked to the dissemination of illegal content. The messenger's administration allegedly failed to comply with Roskomnadzor's (RKN) demands to remove channels and chats containing prohibited information in Russia.
The materials also claim that Telegram is used for committing crimes and for "hosting materials from extremist and terrorist organizations."
RKN began restricting the service's operations in the summer of 2025, citing an increase in fraud cases. In February 2026, authorities intensified the "throttling" of the messenger due to non-compliance with Russian legislation. At that time, Durov stated that "Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy."
Not the First Time
Telegram was previously blocked in Russia in 2018. At that time, the Tagansky Court of Moscow swiftly considered a lawsuit from Roskomnadzor and the FSB to restrict access to the messenger.
The reason was the service's refusal to provide authorities with encryption keys. Law enforcement labeled this a "threat to national security."
In 2020, deputies from the "Fair Russia" party introduced a bill to lift the ban on Telegram. The authors argued that the messenger is "one of the main information resources" and plays an important social role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just a few days later, RKN restored access to the service in the country. However, the reason for the unblocking was not the bill, but Durov's statement about improving mechanisms to combat terrorism.
Ban in Ukraine?
Ukrainian authorities also cite the use of Telegram for illegal purposes. One of the first bills for state regulation of the messenger was introduced in the Verkhovna Rada back in 2024.
On February 22, 2026, Deputy Head of President Volodymyr Zelensky's Office Iryna Vereshchuk stated the need to consider restricting Telegram's operations in the country following explosions in Lviv. In her opinion, such messengers are allegedly used for recruitment to commit crimes.
Later, similar initiatives were voiced by Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and Deputy Head of the SBU Ivan Rudnytsky, according to media reports.
However, Klymenko noted that a complete ban is not being considered. According to him, the main goal is to minimize the number of crimes facilitated by Telegram.
"The issue of using Telegram is not only a matter for the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Security Service of Ukraine. It is a question that society must also answer," he added.
Case in France
In August 2024, the founder of Telegram was detained in France. The country's authorities explained that Durov was arrested as part of a large-scale investigation into cybercrime, including the illegal provision of services and cryptographic tools.
He was charged with several offenses related to organized crime, including complicity in drug trafficking and child pornography. The charges also included failure to provide information upon authorities' requests.
In the spring of 2025, Durov was allowed to temporarily leave France. Later, he called the detention a "legal absurdity." The criminal case against the Telegram creator remains under preliminary investigation.
Upon his release, he immediately announced enhanced moderation in the messenger and stricter search rules to combat illegal content.
"We strive to engage with regulators to find the right balance [between privacy and security]. Our experience is shaped by our mission to protect our users in authoritarian regimes. But we have always been open to dialogue," the entrepreneur emphasized.
Since 2018, Telegram has also disclosed IP addresses and/or phone numbers of offenders upon authorities' requests.
The number of processed requests can be checked through a special bot, but current information is lacking. Data is limited to September 2024.
Source: Telegram.Digital (In)Freedom
Recently, more countries are seeking to control citizens' digital lives. One of the most controversial initiatives has been the EU's "Chat Control" bill.
This document mandates the scanning of personal messages using AI—allegedly to detect materials related to child sexual abuse. The regulation applies to services with end-to-end encryption, including Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal.
The bill also proposes implementing age verification across all digital platforms.
Users have opposed the initiative and launched a campaign called Fight Chat Control. Discussions regarding the document are ongoing.
In Australia, a system of age verification was implemented in December 2025, covering nearly all digital platforms—from search engines and social networks to app stores. In China, digital ID cards were launched in July.
Recall that in October, Durov warned of the "imminent demise" of the free internet.