The FSB said Telegram failed to remove channels, group chats and automated bots that were allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence services and extremist organisations to prepare attacks inside Russia. Investigators claimed the communications supported terrorism, sabotage, killings and cyber fraud.
No evidence supporting the specific allegations was immediately made public. Durov and Telegram had not issued a response to the charges at the time of the announcement.
Russian authorities described the measure as an international arrest warrant. Such an order reflects a request by Moscow to locate and detain Durov but does not automatically compel foreign governments to arrest or extradite him. Countries assess such requests under their own laws, treaty obligations and political considerations.
The charges mark the latest stage of a criminal case opened in February, when security officials began investigating Durov under provisions of Russia’s criminal code covering assistance to terrorist activity. State-linked publications alleged that Telegram had ignored demands to delete material connected to unlawful operations.
Authorities have said more than 153,000 crimes involving Telegram were registered from 2022 onwards, including about 33,000 cases linked to terrorism, extremist activity or sabotage. Those figures have not been independently verified, and the Russian case places legal responsibility on Durov for content and communications created by users of the platform.
Telegram has more than one billion monthly active users worldwide and remains deeply embedded in Russia’s communications system. Government departments, regional officials, military commentators, opposition activists, businesses and ordinary citizens rely on its channels and messaging services.
The platform has also become central to information flows during the war in Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian forces, government agencies, intelligence-linked networks, journalists and civilians use it to circulate battlefield updates, air-raid warnings, propaganda, fundraising appeals and footage of military operations.
Russia has progressively restricted Telegram while promoting Max, a state-backed messaging service designed to combine communications, payments and public services. Users have reported slower connections, disrupted media downloads and difficulties accessing parts of Telegram since restrictions were tightened earlier this year.
Durov has accused Moscow of trying to push citizens towards a platform vulnerable to state surveillance and political censorship. He has argued that restricting Telegram damages privacy and freedom of expression while weakening a communications service used by millions of Russians.
The dispute represents a reversal in Moscow’s public treatment of Durov. Russian officials defended him after his detention in France in August 2024, portraying the case against him there as an attack on free speech and technological independence. The Kremlin’s position hardened as Telegram continued resisting demands for greater state control.
Durov, who was born in the Soviet Union and later left Russia, also founded VKontakte, the country’s largest social network. He departed the company in 2014 after saying he had faced pressure to hand over information about Ukrainian protest activists and block opposition figures.
He now holds French and United Arab Emirates citizenship and has based much of Telegram’s business in Dubai. His location could complicate Moscow’s efforts to secure his detention, particularly if a requested country considers the prosecution politically motivated or inconsistent with its legal standards.
The Russian case is separate from proceedings in France, where Durov was detained after arriving at Le Bourget airport outside Paris in August 2024. French investigators accused him of failing to prevent criminal activity on Telegram and of providing insufficient cooperation to law-enforcement agencies.
He was placed under formal investigation over alleged complicity in offences involving organised crime, fraud, narcotics trafficking and child sexual abuse material. Durov has denied wrongdoing and rejected the principle that a technology executive should be held personally responsible for every offence committed through a platform.
Telegram subsequently strengthened its moderation and compliance policies. Durov said the company could disclose users’ telephone numbers and internet protocol addresses when presented with valid legal requests involving violations of its terms. The platform also expanded its use of artificial intelligence and human reviewers to remove unlawful material.
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