Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against Telegram founder Pavel Durov, accusing him of assisting terrorist activity by allowing allegedly unlawful content to remain available on the messaging platform. The Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that Durov has also been added to Russia’s international wanted list while the investigation proceeds.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the FSB alleged that Telegram had not removed channels, group chats and automated bots that were purportedly used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies and organisations that Russia classifies as terrorist or extremist groups. According to the agency, those online resources were used to organise sabotage, terrorist attacks, cyber-enabled fraud and other criminal activities inside Russia. The FSB’s allegations have not been independently verified, and Durov has not been convicted of any offence.
The criminal investigation was initiated under Article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers aiding terrorist activity. Russian investigators contend that Telegram failed to comply with domestic laws requiring the removal of prohibited material from the platform.
A significant part of the FSB’s announcement focused on a Telegram-based dating chatbot known as Daivinchik, or Leo-Dating, Chatting, and New Friends. The agency claims Ukrainian intelligence officers used the service to establish contact with young Russian citizens by posing as women online before developing personal relationships with them.
According to the FSB, the alleged scheme involved persuading victims to share meeting locations or make purchases using phishing links. Investigators claim the victims were later contacted by individuals pretending to represent Russian law enforcement or the country’s financial monitoring agency, who allegedly told them they had unknowingly supported the Ukrainian military. Authorities say the resulting fear and psychological pressure were then used to coerce some individuals into committing crimes, including arson and attacks on infrastructure.
The FSB said joint operations with Russia’s Interior Ministry and Investigative Committee resulted in the detention of 46 Russian citizens between the ages of 12 and 22 from July 2025 onwards. Authorities allege the suspects were involved in attacks on police officers, arson targeting transport, communications, financial and energy infrastructure, and the movement of money obtained through fraud. Those claims have not been independently confirmed.
Telegram has not issued a formal response to the criminal case. Its official account on X reacted by posting an image of Durov making an obscene gesture, while Durov, who lives in Dubai, has not publicly commented on the charges.
The announcement comes amid an increasingly strained relationship between Telegram and Russian authorities. Earlier this year, Russia introduced restrictions on access to the platform before expanding them into a near-complete blockade in April 2026. Separately, Durov continues to face legal proceedings in France over allegations that Telegram failed to adequately address criminal activity on the service, a case unrelated to the charges announced by the FSB.