Kremlin vs. Durov: Telegram is back in the crosshairs

The conflict between the Kremlin and Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, entered a new phase yesterday, as Russian media reported that an investigation had been launched against Durov on suspicion of “aiding and abetting terrorism.” Durov, who lives in Dubai, responded by saying that the authorities were continuing to “suppress privacy and freedom of speech.”

As Reuters reports, the background to this conflict is a broader process - Moscow's attempt to block Telegram, which has more than a billion active users and is widely used in both Russia and Ukraine, and to redirect tens of millions of Russians to a state-backed alternative known as MAX.

“Russia has opened criminal proceedings against me for ‘aiding terrorism.’ Every day, the authorities come up with new excuses to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram, seeking to stifle the right to privacy and freedom of speech,” Durov wrote on his Telegram channel.

Almost simultaneously yesterday, two Russian pro-regime newspapers published articles stating that the Federal Security Service (FSB) is investigating Durov on suspicion of aiding terrorism. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the articles were prepared using materials from the security services, but did not specify whether Telegram would be banned, stating that the services “are taking measures they deem appropriate.”

These articles describe Telegram as a tool allegedly used by Ukraine and Western intelligence services against Russia, and even as a platform that allegedly "helped in the assassination of Russian generals," organized attacks, and coordinated militants.

Durov's conflict with the Kremlin has lasted for more than a decade, the Financial Times points out, adding that Durov, now a 42-year-old billionaire, left Russia in 2014 after, under pressure from the authorities, he sold a stake in his first company, VKontakte (VK), a social network often described as the Russian Facebook.

Soon after, he launched Telegram from Dubai, where he still lives and holds citizenship. Durov's relationship with the Kremlin has been complicated - from open conflict, through a period of uneasy truce, to a new confrontation, writes the British "Guardian".

Russia attempted to block Telegram in 2018 because the company refused to hand over the keys to decrypt messages to security services. The block was technically unsuccessful and was formally lifted in 2020, after which a pragmatic compromise appeared to have been reached.

However, after the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin rapidly tightened control over the internet, banning or blocking Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. This led to a sharp increase in VPN app downloads among Russian users.

Telegram, despite everything, has remained a key communication platform in the country; ministries publish official statements on Telegram, soldiers use it for coordination on the front, and Vladimir Putin's spokesman communicates with the media via the app.

In recent weeks, Russian authorities have further restricted some of the app’s functions, accusing it of failing to prevent the platform from being used for terrorist and criminal purposes. In parallel, the state-owned “super-app” MAX is being promoted, conceived as a domestic alternative to foreign services and part of a broader strategy for a so-called sovereign internet. However, many users are suspicious of an app under direct state control, especially when it comes to data protection and encryption.

In recent days, state television has aired reports highlighting the alleged security risks of Telegram and "leaks" from private chats, which analysts see as preparing the public for possible further measures - including a complete blockade.

Durov publicly criticized Moscow's measures earlier this month, comparing them to Iran's attempts to restrict Telegram.

He is also facing pressure in the West. In August 2024, he was detained in France for three days as part of an investigation into criminal activities linked to Telegram, including the distribution of child sexual abuse material, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions. Western authorities have criticized Telegram for years for what they say is insufficient content moderation.

For the Kremlin, however, the key issue is not content moderation, but control over the communications infrastructure and access to encrypted messages. For Durov, who has built Telegram as a global platform based on privacy, handing over the keys to security services is a red line, the FT writes.

If Telegram were indeed blocked or severely restricted, it would mark one of the most profound changes in the Russian digital space since the beginning of the war and a clear signal that the Kremlin is determined to bring the last major channels of communication under full control.