Russia's FSB security service has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism, alleging the messaging app was used by Ukrainian secret services to recruit people and coordinate acts of sabotage inside Russia. An international arrest warrant has been issued for Durov, who was born in Russia but has lived abroad for many years. The move marks a significant escalation in Moscow's long-running dispute with the entrepreneur, whose app remains widely used across Russia despite official efforts to restrict access.

The FSB claims Telegram failed to remove channels, chats and bots linked to Ukrainian operatives. Durov, who holds French and United Arab Emirates passports, responded via Telegram's account on X with an image of himself making a rude gesture, having previously accused Russian authorities of inventing pretexts to curb Russians' access to the platform. It remains unclear whether other countries would act on Russia's arrest warrant, and the charge follows Durov's earlier arrest and release in France in 2024-2025.