Russia Opens Criminal Investigation Against Telegram Founder Pavel Durov on Terrorism Facilitation Charges

MOSCOW, February 25, 2026 — Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of the messaging app Telegram, accusing him of facilitating terrorist activities as the Kremlin intensifies its crackdown on the platform amid the ongoing war in Ukraine .

The investigation, first reported by the government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta and the pro-Kremlin tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda on February 24, 2026, is based on materials from the Federal Security Service (FSB) . Durov’s actions are being examined under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which addresses “assistance to terrorist activity” and carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years .

According to the FSB documents cited in the reports, since 2022, the number of registered crimes committed using Telegram in Russia has topped 153,000 . Of these, approximately 33,000 were classified as crimes of a “sabotage-terrorist and extremist nature,” including organizing explosions, arson attacks on military enlistment offices, and murders .

The security service claims that Telegram’s refusal to cooperate with Russian authorities has made it an indispensable tool for what Moscow describes as “hybrid warfare” waged against Russia by NATO countries and Ukraine .

Specific Allegations and High-Profile Attacks

Russian officials allege that Telegram played a direct role in facilitating several major incidents that have shaken the country in recent years. The March 2024 terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in the Moscow Oblast, which killed more than 140 people, was allegedly coordinated through the messaging app .

“The victims of digital permissiveness were Russian citizens, bloggers, and journalists, including Darya Dugina and Maxim Fomin, as well as nine high-ranking military officials, including Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov,” Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported, citing FSB materials . Dugina, a political commentator and daughter of prominent nationalist philosopher Alexander Dugin, was killed in a car bombing in 2022. Kirillov, the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense Forces, was assassinated in Moscow in December 2024 .

The newspaper also alleged that “the enemy, using Telegram analytics, collected data about their relatives, travel routes, and daily routines” to carry out these killings . Additionally, authorities claim to have recorded approximately 700 direct threats to family members of Russian military personnel via the platform .

The FSB further asserts that it successfully prevented 475 terrorist attacks that were being planned through Telegram . Among these, it claims, were 61 school mass shootings that teenagers had been organizing .

Regulatory Warnings and Non-Compliance

The investigation follows years of tension between Durov’s company and Russian state regulators. Over the past several years, Russia’s telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor has sent more than 150,000 requests to Durov’s team through official channels demanding the removal of illegal content of various kinds, but these requests were largely ignored, according to the FSB materials .

More specifically, authorities claim Telegram’s management failed to remove more than 10,500 channels allegedly inciting extremism and 1,125 channels posting materials from extremist and terrorist organizations . The company also allegedly did not delete 1,369 channels, chats, and bots linked to child pornography; 3,771 drug-related channels; 2,666 channels promoting suicide; and 2,124 channels encouraging minors to take part in illegal activities .

The FSB argues that Telegram’s refusal to provide encryption keys that would allow it to access messages sent by suspected criminals has created an environment where various groups can operate with impunity .

Kremlin and FSB Statements

Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov addressed the situation on February 24, pointing to what he described as Telegram’s reluctance to cooperate with Russian authorities . He emphasized that relevant state agencies are acting within their legal mandate.

“We are, of course, familiar with these publications. They were prepared using materials from the FSB, which carries out its functions. A large number of violations and a lack of cooperation from Telegram’s administration have been recorded. Significant volumes of content potentially posing risks to national security have also been identified,” Peskov told reporters .

Earlier this month, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov confirmed that talks with Durov had broken down entirely. Speaking to the Kremlin press pool, Bortnikov accused the messaging platform of enabling crimes ranging from child exploitation to terrorism while Durov pursues personal financial gain .

Bortnikov said the FSB had previously held discussions with Durov, but that the talks “led nowhere.” He said Durov “pursues his own self-interest, ultimately enabling a wide range of criminal activity, including crimes against children — which we have repeatedly flagged — as well as terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage” . Bortnikov confirmed the FSB was no longer in contact with the Dubai-based entrepreneur and gave no indication that talks would resume.

Durov’s Response and Defiance

Durov, who was born in St. Petersburg and now lives in the United Arab Emirates, has responded to the escalating pressure. In a statement published on his official Telegram channel, he described the proceedings as an attempt to restrict fundamental rights .

“Russia has opened a criminal case against me for alleged complicity in terrorism. Every day, authorities invent new pretexts to limit Russians’ access to Telegram, seeking to suppress the right to privacy and freedom of speech,” Durov wrote .

He has previously condemned Moscow’s throttling of the platform as an “authoritarian move” and an assault on “freedom and privacy” . In early February 2026, authorities intensified their efforts, with Roskomnadzor raising Telegram’s “traffic degradation” to 55 percent, effectively slowing download speeds and blocking video and voice calls on the platform .

Durov, who holds citizenship in Russia, the UAE, France, and St. Kitts and Nevis, has a long history of conflict with Russian authorities . He left Russia in 2014 after refusing to shut down opposition communities on his VKontakte social network, which he co-founded before selling his stake .

Broader Context of Digital Controls

The investigation comes as Russia expands its digital controls during the war in Ukraine, tightening restrictions on VPNs and messaging apps . Telegram, which has around 90 million users in Russia, has become one of the most important sources of information in the country, used by Kremlin officials, pro-war bloggers, and Russian soldiers on the front lines, as well as by Ukrainian officials and Russian opposition figures abroad .

Critics, including Durov, suggest the crackdown is designed to force Russians to switch to Max, a state-backed messenger created by VK, the Russian social media giant . Modeled after China’s WeChat, Max integrates government services, file storage, banking, and other public and commercial functions, leading Durov to allege it was created for mass surveillance and censorship .

Bortnikov rejected such characterizations, telling reporters, “No one is violating freedom of speech. We need to protect the public’s interests” .

French Arrest and International Dimension

Durov also faces legal challenges beyond Russia’s borders. In August 2024, he was detained in France for three days, with French prosecutors charging him with complicity in organized crime — including drug trafficking and distribution of child sexual abuse material — due to Telegram’s alleged lack of content moderation . In the spring of 2025, French authorities permitted him to leave the country . Durov has consistently denied any wrongdoing .

The FSB materials cited in Russian media draw a direct line between Telegram’s policies and international security threats. The agency accuses Telegram of becoming “the primary tool of the intelligence services of NATO countries and the ‘Kyiv regime'” . The FSB also claims that Ukraine’s armed forces and intelligence services are harvesting data from the app, including from Russian soldiers who use it .

Potential Consequences

The charge of aiding terrorist activities under the Russian Criminal Code carries a potential sentence of eight years to life in prison, though Durov’s residence outside Russia complicates any efforts to detain him . For now, Russian authorities are focusing on restricting access to the platform within the country.

Telegram did not immediately respond to requests for comment from international media regarding the investigation . The company has repeatedly denied Russia’s claims that it is a haven for criminal activity and that it has been compromised by Western and Ukrainian intelligence services .

As the investigation proceeds, Russian users continue to face increasing difficulty accessing the platform without virtual private networks, and the standoff between Durov and the Kremlin shows no signs of resolution.

With inputs from:
Reuters: Russia investigates Durov terrorism case
CryptoNews: FSB probe into Telegram CEO
Guardian: Russia opens criminal case Durov
Euronews: Russia criminal case promoting terrorism
Moscow Times: FSB investigating Durov

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