Ukrainian agents recruited Russians for terrorist attacks: Telegram tycoon wanted

Moscow – Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been placed on the wanted list for facilitating terrorist activities.

This was announced by Moscow's internal intelligence service (FSB), which explains the reasons for the indictment against the Russian tycoon, who left the country 12 years ago.

Durov is accused of refusing to comply with a request to remove from his platform channels and bots "used by Ukrainian special services and terrorist and extremist organizations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism in Russia." The Telegram founder, in his crusade against restrictions on free online messaging, has also clashed with authorities in EU countries, resulting in his imprisonment in France two years ago.

The service is under accusation

Regarding the new excise taxes, Russian intelligence agencies are specifically targeting the Leonardo Dayvinchik dating service, through which Ukrainian intelligence agents, posing as women, allegedly contacted young Russians and encouraged them to engage in sabotage or terrorist acts. Since July last year, according to the FSB, 46 young people and youths have been arrested in various regions of Russia. After using the incriminated dating service, they committed attacks on law enforcement officers and sabotage energy and transportation infrastructure.

Durov responded to the wanted list and indictment with a post on X's official profile featuring a photo of the tycoon giving the camera the 'middle finger'.

Durov, born in Russia, left the country in 2014 and subsequently acquired French and United Arab Emirates citizenship. He was arrested in France in August 2024 on charges of failing to prevent the publication of illegal content on his platform.

Durov had been arrested in France and clashed with the Spanish government over his use of Telegram.

A few months later, in March 2025, French magistrates granted him leave the country, and the Telegram founder returned to the United Arab Emirates, where he resides and where his company is headquartered. Last February, Telegram's founder and CEO clashed with the Spanish government, calling on users to oppose measures announced by Pedro Sánchez's government to limit the use of digital platforms, including a ban on social media access for those under 16.

In Russia, access to Telegram, like WhatsApp, is blocked by telecommunications regulators. However, all institutions, including the Kremlin press office and ministries, continue to use the app founded in 2013 by Durov to disseminate news, and users continue to access it through the use of VPNs to circumvent the block.