Telegram founder Pavel Durov charged by Russia over app’s alleged role in Ukrainian spy operations

Russia Charges Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Over Spy Operations

Theindiapostdaily.com – Russia has formally charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity, marking a significant escalation in Moscow’s legal battle with the messaging platform. The charges, announced by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on Wednesday, July 29, accuse the Dubai-based company of enabling Ukrainian intelligence services to recruit Russian citizens for attacks within the country.

The announcement represents the culmination of an extensive investigation into the tech entrepreneur’s platform. According to Russian authorities, the charges were filed after investigators determined that Telegram had been used as a primary channel for Ukrainian operatives to identify, befriend, and recruit young Russians for sabotage missions and terrorist activities against state infrastructure.

Chatbot Allegedly Used for Recruitment

Central to the allegations is a Telegram chatbot known as Daivinchik/Leo, which Russian investigators claim was instrumental in the recruitment campaign. The FSB and Russia’s Investigative Committee stated that Ukrainian agents posed as young women on the dating chatbot, building relationships with Russian users before coercing them into carrying out attacks.

Authorities reported that 46 Russians, aged between 12 and 22, have been arrested over the past year after allegedly being recruited through the platform. These individuals were reportedly tasked with attacking law enforcement officers or sabotaging transport, energy, communications, and financial infrastructure across Russia. Ukraine has not yet issued an official response to these allegations.

Durov’s Response and Legal Challenges

Shortly after the charges were announced, Telegram’s official account on X responded with a defiant social media post featuring an image of the Russian-born billionaire making an obscene gesture with his middle finger. Neither Durov nor the company issued a formal statement directly addressing the new charges.

The Russian charges add to Durov’s growing list of international legal difficulties. In 2024, French authorities arrested the Telegram founder over allegations that the platform failed to adequately combat criminal activity and did not sufficiently cooperate with law enforcement investigations. He was later allowed to leave France while the investigation continued.

Durov has consistently denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that Telegram exceeds its legal obligations in moderating harmful content and cooperating with authorities. He has cited free speech protections, noting that a summons addressed to “Suspect P.V. Durov” had been delivered to an apartment in Russia where he had lived two decades earlier.

International Arrest and Current Status

The FSB announced that Durov has been placed on an international wanted list, though it did not specify the legal mechanism through which it would seek his arrest. It remains unclear whether Russia will seek an Interpol Red Notice, and Interpol did not immediately comment on the matter.

Durov currently holds both Emirati and French citizenship and is believed to reside primarily in Dubai, a country that has maintained close economic and diplomatic ties with Moscow while positioning itself as a global technology and business hub. His current whereabouts are unclear, though he mentioned last week that he had been in Georgia.

Despite Russia’s significant restrictions on Telegram access as part of broader efforts to tighten internet controls and reduce reliance on foreign technology platforms, the app remains widely used. Most Russians now require a virtual private network (VPN) to access Telegram, but government institutions—including the Kremlin and the Defence Ministry—continue to maintain official channels on the platform.

Telegram has become a key source of information during the Russia-Ukraine war, used extensively by officials, soldiers and military bloggers on both sides. The platform’s resilience in Russia underscores its importance as a communication tool even as political tensions continue to escalate between the two nations.