Russia Places Telegram Founder Pavel Durov on International Wanted List

Russian authorities have placed Telegram founder Pavel Durov on an international wanted list as they escalate a criminal case accusing him of facilitating terrorist activity. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday that it had charged Durov with facilitating terrorist activity and issued an international warrant for his arrest, local news agency Interfax reported. Interfax did not identify a specific wanted list cited by the FSB. A check on Wednesday morning of Interpol’s public database of wanted persons, or Red Notice, did not find Durov among the records. The FSB alleged that Telegram failed to remove channels, chats and bots that Ukrainian intelligence services, terrorist groups and extremist organizations used to coordinate attacks, recruit operatives and conduct cyber fraud. The development follows reports in February that Russian authorities had opened a criminal case against Durov. At the time, Durov confirmed the case in a post on X and accused Russian authorities of using the investigation to pressure Telegram, writing: “Each day, the authorities fabricate new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram as they seek to suppress the right to privacy and free speech.” Separately, Durov still faces an ongoing criminal investigation in France over alleged illegal activity on Telegram, although French authorities lifted travel restrictions earlier this year, allowing him to leave the country.