![Pavel 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 [File]](https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/lqnzsj/article71280357.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/Russia_Telegram_Founder_13266.jpg "Pavel 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 [File]")
Russia’s main domestic security agency said Wednesday (July 29, 2026) that Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram, has been charged with “aiding terrorism” and put on an international wanted list.
Telegram’s administration has not removed “numerous channels, chats and bots” that are “actively used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist, and extremist organizations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass murder, and cyberfraud" in Russia, the agency said in a statement Wednesday,
The Federal Security Service is also known as the FSB.
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 as part of an attempt to “suppress the right to privacy and free speech.”
Published - July 29, 2026 12:30 pm IST
You are logged in
Loading...
You don’t have any Active Subscription.
Subscribe nowSubscribed with another email? Logout and Login with that one.
Your active subscription(s)
Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription
Products you've access to
Additional Subscription Benefits
Account Settings
Need help with your subscription?