Telegram founder Pavel Durov is under criminal investigation in Russia for allegedly assisting terrorist activities

According to ForkLog, several Russian media outlets cited information from the country's Federal Security Service stating that Telegram founder Pavel Durov is under criminal investigation for allegedly assisting terrorist activities, in accordance with Article 205.1, Clause 1.1 of the Russian Federal Criminal Code (assisting terrorist activities).

The investigation involves the dissemination of illegal content, accusing the platform's administrators of ignoring requests from the Russian communications regulator to remove banned channels and chats, and that Telegram has been used for criminal activities and the publication of extremist and terrorist organization materials.

The Russian communications regulator began restricting the service in the summer of 2025, citing an increase in fraudulent activities, and in February 2026, it intensified "throttling" measures on the grounds of the platform's non-compliance with Russian laws. Durov responded at the time by stating that "Telegram defends freedom of speech and privacy."