Russia Charges Telegram Founder Pavel Durov With Aiding Terrorism

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on or around July 29, 2026, that it has charged Pavel Durov, the 41-year-old Russian-born founder and chief executive of the messaging app Telegram, with aiding terrorism, and placed him on an international wanted list. Durov lives in the Gulf region. The charges represent the latest step by Russian authorities to assert control over internet and digital communications following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to the FSB, Telegram has failed to remove accounts and channels that Russian officials claim are used by Ukraine's secret service to recruit spies and support terrorist activity, including sabotage and murder. Multiple outlets reported these specific FSB claims about the platform's alleged role in facilitating Ukrainian intelligence recruitment. Telegram's official account on the platform X responded to the charges by posting an image of Durov making an obscene gesture, a reaction reported by at least one source. The charges and wanted-list designation are confirmed, but it remains unresolved what concrete legal or practical consequences will follow, including whether Russia will pursue extradition or further action given Durov's residence outside Russian jurisdiction. Coverage also situates these charges alongside Durov's earlier arrest in Paris, France, though the specific relationship or timeline between the French arrest and the new Russian charges is not detailed in the available reporting. No outlet has confirmed a response from Durov or Telegram beyond the social media post noted above.