Russia adds Telegram founder Pavel Durov to 'terrorist' list

Russia has placed Pavel Durov, the founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, on its official list of "terrorists" and "extremists." This designation comes just a day after Moscow announced it had issued an international arrest warrant for the 41-year-old entrepreneur.

Durov, who was born in Russia and first gained prominence for creating VKontakte, one of the country's largest social networks, left Russia in 2014. He cited conflicts with Moscow authorities and alleged pressure as reasons for his departure. He then focused on developing Telegram, which has since become a globally used communication platform.

Despite its widespread use, including by Russian state institutions like the Kremlin and law enforcement, Durov is currently under judicial supervision in France. French prosecutors are investigating him for allegedly failing to take sufficient measures to prevent the distribution of criminal content via the platform. Durov denies the accusations.

Russian authorities claim that Telegram and other Western messaging services can be exploited by Ukrainian security services against Russia's interests. Digital restrictions in Russia have intensified since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.