Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, was placed on an international wanted list by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on July 29, 2026. This came after authorities accused him of failing to remove channels and bots allegedly linked to Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups.
Meanwhile, the FSB warned that the Telegram founder could face a serious prison sentence.
FSB Links Telegram to Alleged Terror Recruitment
According to the FSB, Durov faces charges under Article 205.1, Part 1.1 of Russia’s Criminal Code, which covers alleged assistance to terrorist activity.
The security service claims Telegram failed to remove channels, chats and bots allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies to recruit people and coordinate attacks, arson and other crimes inside Russia.
🚨 Telegram’s CEO Durov charged with terrorism aid in Russia, put on international wanted list
Russia’s FSB has announced that the Telegram founder Pavel Durov is now the subject of an international manhunt.
Here’s what the security service disclosed:
🔶 The messaging… pic.twitter.com/JbAwmYH57b
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) July 29, 2026
The FSB also alleged that Ukrainian operatives used Telegram’s dating service to approach Russian men and later recruit them for attacks.
Since July 2025, Russian authorities have reportedly detained 46 young users across 16 regions over alleged attacks on police officers and arson carried out under instructions from Ukrainian intelligence.
The announcement follows a criminal case opened against Durov in February. Reacting on X he said Russian authorities were using the investigation to pressure Telegram and creating excuses to restrict access to the platform while targeting privacy and free speech.
Why Is Russia Targeting Durov?
The latest case adds another chapter to Durov’s long conflict with Russian authorities. Before creating Telegram, Durov founded VKontakte (VK), which became Russia’s largest social media platform.
During the 2011 Moscow protests and the 2013 Ukraine Euromaidan movement, the FSB reportedly pressured him to block opposition groups and provide user data.
Durov refused, and he was later removed as VK’s CEO in 2014. After this, he left Russia.
His dispute with the FSB continued after Telegram launched. In 2017, Russian authorities ordered Telegram to hand over encryption keys under anti-terrorism laws. Durov rejected the demand, arguing that Telegram could not create a universal master key without weakening user privacy.
Durov Already Faces Pressure in Europe
Russia is not the only country where Durov has faced legal pressure. French authorities arrested him at a Paris airport on Aug. 24, 2024, after which he was indicted on 12 criminal counts and required to pay €5 million in bail.
His strict travel restrictions were later lifted in late 2025, but Telegram continued to face scrutiny from European authorities.
Durov has repeatedly said Telegram does not cooperate with governments on content moderation beyond what local laws require.
Meanwhile, Pavel has not publicly commented on the recent Russian charges.
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