Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has been charged by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) with aiding terrorism, leading to his inclusion on an international wanted list. The FSB alleges that Telegram has failed to sufficiently eliminate channels, chats, and bots supposedly used by Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups for coordinating sabotage and cyber fraud activities within Russia.
If convicted, Durov could face severe penalties, potentially even a life sentence. While the FSB has not confirmed whether it has sought an Interpol Red Notice related to these charges, such a notice would not necessarily mean an international arrest warrant.
This development marks a serious escalation in an investigation that began in February, coinciding with Russia's increasing restrictions on Telegram's operations. The platform has already incurred fines exceeding 100 million rubles (approximately $1.25 million) this year for failing to remove content that the Russian government considers illegal, according to Interfax.
