Russia Adds Telegram Founder Pavel Durov to ‘Terrorist’ Blacklist

Russian authorities on Thursday added Telegram founder Pavel Durov to their official blacklist of "terrorists and extremists," days after issuing an international arrest warrant over accusations of facilitating Ukrainian intelligence operations on the platform.

The inclusion of the 41-year-old tech entrepreneur on the online register maintained by Rosfinmonitoring, Russia's financial watchdog, effectively bans him from conducting any financial transactions inside Russia. Durov, who holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, has lived outside Russia for years following repeated clashes with Moscow over internet control and user privacy.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) stated it had initiated international search proceedings against Durov. Russian law enforcement accused Telegram’s administration of failing to remove a popular dating chatbot allegedly used by Ukrainian special services to draw young Russians into "terrorist and sabotage activities".

Telegram remains one of the primary communication platforms in Russia. Authorities have repeatedly sought to restrict access to the service in an attempt to compel Durov to hand over user data or steer citizens toward an unencrypted, state-backed alternative named Max—a platform Durov has denounced as being designed for surveillance and political censorship.

Durov has not yet publicly commented on Moscow's latest charges.

Born in Saint Petersburg, Durov initially founded VKontakte (VK), widely described as "Russia’s Facebook," before being forced out of the company over disputes with state authorities. He subsequently developed Telegram to champion encrypted messaging. Durov also faced legal proceedings in France in 2024 related to platform content moderation before being released on bail.