Russia's Federal Security Service filed terrorism-facilitation charges against Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, on July 29, 2026, and is seeking to place him on an international wanted list, according to The Record.
The FSB alleges that Telegram failed to remove accounts Ukraine's secret service used for recruitment inside Russia. BBC News reported that the agency also accuses Telegram channels of being organized by Ukrainian intelligence to carry out attacks on Russian soil, alongside espionage operations within the country.
Russia's pursuit of an international wanted-list designation for Durov means the charges extend beyond its own jurisdiction.