Russia has opened a criminal investigation into Telegram founder Pavel Durov, intensifying a years long confrontation between the Kremlin and the widely used messaging platform amid the war in Ukraine.
State-run newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported Tuesday that Durov is being investigated as part of a criminal case under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of Russia’s Criminal Code, which covers assistance to terrorist activities.
The publication said its report was based on materials from Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, and accused Telegram of serving as “a tool for hybrid threats.”
Authorities allege the platform has been used in more than 153,000 crimes since 2022, including roughly 33,000 cases involving sabotage, terrorism or extremism.
Investigators are examining whether Telegram was used to coordinate attacks such as the 2024 Crocus City Hall massacre and the killings of Darya Dugina and General Igor Kirillov.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said officials had recorded “a large number of violations” and Telegram’s “unwillingness … to cooperate,” adding that relevant authorities were taking appropriate measures.
The probe follows months of mounting pressure on Telegram inside Russia.
Authorities have slowed voice and video calls on the app and briefly blocked access for some users earlier this month, while promoting a state-backed alternative known as MAX.
Russian officials say tighter controls on messaging apps and virtual private networks are necessary for national security as Moscow faces attacks inside its territory and alleged sabotage attempts.
The FSB said Ukraine’s armed forces and intelligence services were harvesting data from Telegram, including from Russian soldiers.
Founded in 2013, Telegram says it has around 1 billion active users worldwide and has become a central source of information in Russia and across the Ukraine պատերազմի front.
The platform is used by Kremlin officials, pro-Russian war bloggers and nationalist groups, as well as opposition activists and Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Durov, who left Russia in 2014 and resides in the United Arab Emirates, has rejected Moscow’s actions.
“Russia is restricting access to Telegram to force its citizens onto a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship,” he said on February 11.