Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity, alleging that the messaging platform failed to remove channels and automated bots used to organise terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage within the country. According to Russia's Interfax news agency, the FSB also announced that Durov has been placed on an international wanted list.
In a statement, the FSB accused Telegram's management of allowing channels promoting mass killings and cyber fraud to remain active on the platform. The agency claimed such content had contributed to numerous casualties, including women and children, and caused financial losses running into billions. Investigators have booked Durov under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of Russia's Criminal Code, which deals with facilitating terrorist activity.
Durov had disclosed in February 2026 that Russian authorities had opened a criminal case against him on similar allegations. Rejecting the accusations, he said the government was manufacturing excuses to restrict access to Telegram in an effort to curb privacy and freedom of expression. Russia began tightening restrictions on Telegram in mid-2025, and the platform has since remained largely inaccessible without virtual private networks (VPNs) or other circumvention tools. On July 27, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said discussions on restoring Telegram's operations in Russia were continuing, but claimed the company's representatives had shown limited engagement in the process.