A fresh clash has erupted between the Kremlin and Telegram founder Pavel Durov after he revealed that Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against him.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, February 24, has sparked concerns over digital privacy and free speech in Russia. Moreover, it marks another dramatic turn in Moscow’s long-running battle with the encrypted messaging app.
At the center of the controversy is what Durov described as a politically driven move. The criminal case against Pavel Durov is linked to allegations of “aiding terrorism,” a charge that could further strain relations between Telegram and Russian authorities.
“Russia has opened a criminal case against me for ‘aiding terrorism’,” Durov wrote on Telegram. He holds both Russian and French citizenship and currently lives outside Russia.
“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,” he added.
Although no official statement has been issued by Russian law enforcement, state media earlier published detailed reports. These articles, citing materials from the FSB security service, claimed Telegram had been used to coordinate so-called “terrorist” attacks.
However, the reports did not provide public evidence. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has continued to restrict access to Telegram and WhatsApp. Both platforms remain widely used across the country.
Russia has repeatedly tried to block Telegram over the years. In addition, officials have demanded that Durov provide back-door access to encrypted messages. Such access would allow the FSB to view user data.
Durov has consistently resisted these demands. Therefore, tensions have steadily increased.
The government is now encouraging citizens to move to Max, a state-backed messaging platform.
The criminal case against Pavel Durov also comes as Russia’s Ukraine offensive reaches its fourth year.
Interestingly, Telegram remains heavily used in Russia, even by the Kremlin itself. Official government updates are posted there daily. Last week, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the Kremlin would maintain its account.
