Russian FSB places Pavel Durov on international wanted list
Ulviyya Poladova
Read moreRussia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has placed Telegram founder Pavel Durov on its international wanted list, AzerNEWS reports.
According to the information, Durov has been charged with assisting terrorist activities.
The FSB claims that an investigation found that Ukrainian intelligence services used a Telegram bot called "Dayvinchik/Leo" to recruit Russian citizens for sabotage activities.
Russian security agency said that since July 2025, 46 people aged between 12 and 22 have been detained in various regions of Russia. They are suspected of attacking law enforcement officers, setting fire to infrastructure facilities, and transferring funds through cryptocurrency exchange platforms.
Charges against Durov come as Russia restricts Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps in the country. Durov earlier this year announced that the Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation against him and accused them of fabricating pretexts to restrict access to Telegram.
While he pays himself almost nothing, Telegram's CEO is a multi-billionaire. In addition to the €300 million he received in 2014 from the sale of his shares in the Russian social media network VKontakte, Durov owns the entire share capital of Telegram, valued by several investment funds at nearly $30 billion, according to what Durov told the Financial Times in March.
Image: Albert Gea / Reuters
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