Telegram reacted sharply to the international warrant for Durov: a provocative photo was posted
29 July 11:57
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that Telegram founder Pavel Durov has been charged with “aiding terrorist activities” and placed on an international wanted list. Following Russia’s announcement, Telegram published a photo of Durov making an obscene gesture.
The corresponding statement was published on the FSB’s website, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
What Russia Accuses Pavel Durov Of
According to the FSB, Telegram’s administration allegedly fails to remove channels and chatbots that, as the Russian security service claims, are used to coordinate terrorist attacks, sabotage, mass murders, and cybercrime on Russian territory.
“The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation has established and documented numerous instances of Ukrainian intelligence agencies using the ‘Telegram’ messenger chatbot, which is popular among young people: — ‘Davyinchik/Leo — Dating, Communication, and New Friends’ — to recruit Russian citizens into sabotage and terrorist activities through deception and psychological manipulation,” the statement reads.
In particular, the agency stated that since July 2025, it has detained 46 Russian citizens aged 12 to 22—Telegram users who, allegedly acting on orders from Ukrainian special services, carried out armed attacks on law enforcement officers, set cars on fire, and torched energy and communications facilities, among other things.
“It has been established that Ukrainian intelligence officers, using the Telegram service and posing as young women, made online contact with young Russian men who, as their romantic relationships developed, sent the geolocation of their desired meeting place—typically at a large shopping mall or near a socially significant facility, and would pay for their movie or concert tickets or gifts via phishing links sent to them,” the statement reads.
Subsequently, representatives of Ukrainian special services, posing as Russian law enforcement officers or Rosfinmonitoring officials, allegedly contacted them via foreign messaging apps. They claimed that the transferred funds went toward the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and that the coordinates provided were used to plan missile and drone strikes.
“Afterward, the deceived and intimidated citizens—unable to critically assess the situation due to psychological pressure— were coerced, under threat of criminal prosecution, into carrying out armed attacks and arson, allegedly as part of testing the anti-terrorist security of targeted facilities and participating in other ‘pseudo-operational measures,’ ” the statement reads.
Russian law enforcement agencies reported that a criminal case is being investigated against Durov under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“facilitation of terrorist activity”).
The FSB announced an international manhunt
The statement from the Russian security service notes that Pavel Durov has allegedly been placed on an international wanted list.
At the same time, there is currently no information regarding the entry of relevant data into the Interpol database or the publication of a so-called “Red Notice.”
What Durov Himself Has Said Previously
Back in late February 2026, Pavel Durov reported that criminal proceedings had been opened against him in Russia under the article on alleged facilitation of terrorist activities.
At the time, the founder of Telegram stated that Russian authorities were using various pretexts to restrict the messenger’s operations.
“Every day, the authorities come up with new reasons to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram, trying to suppress the right to privacy and freedom of speech,” Durov wrote.
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Telegram Responds to the Criminal Case Against Durov in Russia
Telegram’s press service account on the social network X posted a photo of the messaging app’s founder, Pavel Durov, giving the middle finger.
The post was published following news that the FSB had charged Mr. Durov in absentia in a criminal case involving aiding terrorist activities and intends to issue an international arrest warrant for him.
Pavel Durov had posted the same photo in 2011 in response to reports of Mail.ru Group’s plans to acquire a controlling stake in VKontakte LLC. That same year, during protests following the State Duma elections, Mr. Durov stated that the FSB had demanded that he block several communities on VKontakte that opposed “United Russia.” Pavel Durov published scans of the requests and attached a photo of a dog sticking out its tongue with the comment: “The official response to the security services’ request to block groups.”
Telegram Operates with Restrictions in Russia
Russian authorities began gradually restricting Telegram’s operations as early as the summer of 2025.
According to Durov, users in many regions of Russia can currently access the messaging app only via a VPN or other methods to bypass the blocks.
The day before, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian authorities are in contact with Telegram representatives regarding the possible restoration of the service’s full functionality; however, he said, the company is not demonstrating sufficient initiative in this process.
What Does an International Wanted Notice Mean?
In and of itself, a law enforcement agency’s notification of its intention to issue an international wanted notice does not automatically mean that the person will be listed as wanted through Interpol.
This requires a separate procedure in accordance with Interpol’s rules. The organization may also refuse to publish the notice if the case is of a political, military, religious, or racial nature.
According to Russian media reports, the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow is expected to issue an arrest warrant in absentia for Pavel Durov in the near future, at the request of the FSB, for a period of two months from the date of his detention or extradition.
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