Pavel Durov, the mastermind behind Telegram and its CEO, revealed on Thursday that the Russian government has labeled him a "terrorist" for refusing to comply with the Kremlin's demands for mass surveillance and censorship on the messaging platform.
"Russia has labeled me a 'terrorist' for rejecting their demands for mass surveillance and censorship on Telegram," Durov announced on his personal channel, a post that quickly garnered 1.35 million views.
The official designation unfolded in two stages. On Wednesday, the FSB, Russia's Federal Security Service, issued an international search warrant against Durov, accusing him of "terrorism complicity" over the alleged use of a Telegram dating bot—known as Leo Match—to recruit young Russians for sabotage activities supposedly orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence.
Following this, on Thursday, Russia's financial watchdog Rosfinmonitoring added Durov to the country's official registry of "terrorists and extremists," as confirmed by Reuters.
This list also includes entities such as the Taliban, Meta, and the so-called "LGBT movement."
The agency clarified that this designation primarily targets Durov's personal finances and does not extend to Telegram as a legal entity, meaning the app remains technically accessible in Russia.
Durov responded with his characteristic irony: "Under Russian law, I am banned from 'posting information on the internet,'" he remarked, adding, "Russian officials have clearly misunderstood who has the power to ban whom from the internet."
This escalation marks the peak of a conflict that has been ongoing for years. Back in 2018, Russia attempted a complete block of Telegram after Durov refused to hand over encryption keys to the FSB; the ban was ineffective due to users bypassing it with virtual private networks, leading to its lift in June 2020. Since then, Telegram has become the most widely used platform in the country.
In February, Moscow initiated a new criminal investigation against Durov, who publicly alleged that the Kremlin was fabricating excuses to clamp down on Telegram and steer users towards MAX, the state-run messaging service designed to facilitate government surveillance.
Durov, a Russian native who acquired French citizenship in 2021, is also entangled in a legal process in France following his arrest in August 2024, where he was placed under formal investigation for six offenses related to alleged criminal activities facilitated through Telegram.
The French judiciary lifted his travel restrictions entirely on November 13, 2025, although the investigation remains active.
The intersection of these two proceedings—one Russian that Durov claims is politically driven, and another in France concerning alleged organized crime-related offenses—places the founder of one of the world's largest communication platforms in an unprecedented legal predicament.
Key Questions on Pavel Durov's Legal Challenges
Why has Russia labeled Pavel Durov a terrorist?
Russia has labeled Pavel Durov a terrorist because he refused to comply with the Kremlin's demands for mass surveillance and censorship on Telegram.
What are the implications of Durov's terrorist designation in Russia?
The designation primarily impacts Durov's personal finances but does not affect Telegram's legal status, allowing the app to remain accessible in Russia.
How has Pavel Durov reacted to the accusations from Russia?
Durov has responded with irony, highlighting the absurdity of the situation and emphasizing the confusion of Russian officials regarding internet bans.