The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) has accused Telegram founder Pavel Durov of aiding terrorism, according to TASS. The decision to issue an international warrant for his arrest is currently under consideration, as noted by Moscow 24.
The authorities claim that the messaging platform's administration refused to remove channels and bots that were allegedly utilized by Ukrainian intelligence agencies to plan terrorist attacks within Russia.
What Happened?
Among the mentioned resources, the FSB identified a dating service called "Leonardo Davyinchik".
The agency asserts that since July 2025, they, along with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Investigative Committee, have detained 46 Russians aged between 12 and 22 across 16 regions. According to their account, these individuals were coerced into illegal activities after undergoing "psychological manipulation" and facing the threat of criminal charges.
The FSB also mentioned that in December 2025, "Davyinchik / Leo - Dating, Communication, and New Friends" was added to the Unified Register of Prohibited Websites by Roskomnadzor (the Russian communications regulator).
Under the charges against Pavel Durov, specifically part 1.1 of article 205.1 of the Criminal Code, penalties range from 8 to 15 years of imprisonment, along with fines, or potentially life imprisonment. Lawyer Konstantin Erokhin commented to "Ostorozhno, Novosti" that while life imprisonment is the maximum penalty, it is too early to make definitive statements about it.
Telegram's account on X responded to the accusations against Durov by posting an old photo of him giving the middle finger.
— Telegram Messenger (@telegram) July 29, 2026
Background
Reports from February indicated that an investigation had been launched against Durov regarding his alleged support for terrorist activities. "Rossiskaya Gazeta" and "Komsomolskaya Pravda" noted that over 153,000 crimes were committed using Telegram since 2022.
In April 2026, Pavel Durov reported that he received a summons at his old address in St. Petersburg, calling him in for questioning as a suspect.
Previously, Russia had repeatedly demanded that Telegram hand over user data; the platform was blocked between 2018 and 2020, although these restrictions were lifted without public explanation.
Roskomnadzor began limiting Telegram's operations in the summer of 2025, citing an increase in fraud cases. In February 2026, authorities intensified the "throttling" of the messaging service due to non-compliance with Russian laws. Durov stated that "Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy."
Possible Consequences
Durov, who founded both VKontakte and Telegram, left Russia in 2014 following demands from authorities to hand over user data. He holds passports from four countries: Russia, France, the UAE, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Telegram is registered in the UAE, where Durov has resided in recent years. While there is an extradition treaty between Russia and the UAE, its enforcement is unlikely as the agreement stipulates that the UAE does not extradite its own citizens.
In cases of international warrants through Interpol, the organization typically rejects requests that have political implications, in accordance with Article 3 of its constitution.
In reaction to the news, the price of Gram (formerly Toncoin) fell by 2.6% over the last day, dipping to around $1.391 before recovering swiftly.
15-minute chart of Gram/USDT from OKX. Source: TradingView.Notably, in August 2024, Durov was detained in France amid a large investigation into cybercrimes, including the illegal provision of services and cryptographic tools.
He was released on bail of €5 million a few days later.
In August 2025, Durov described his arrest as a "legal absurdity," asserting that the investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing on his or Telegram's part.