Russia Issues Arrest Warrant for Telegram's Durov Over Terrorism Links

WHO:

NBC News - Darya Shipacheva, a Russian journalist.

Reuters - Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram.

NY Post - Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

WHAT:

NBC News - Russia's FSB has charged Pavel Durov with "aiding terrorism" and placed him on an international wanted list.

Reuters - The FSB accused Telegram's administration of failing to remove "numerous channels, chats and bots" allegedly used by "Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist and extremist organizations."

Reuters - The FSB reported that 46 users of a dating chatbot on Telegram, aged 12 to 22, have been detained in Russia since July 2025 for various criminal activities, including assaulting law enforcement officers and arson.

Reuters - If convicted, Durov could face up to life in prison in Russia.

AP - The FSB accused Ukrainian security services of using a popular dating chatbot on Telegram to lure and recruit Russians for "sabotage and terrorist activities."

AP - The FSB reported that 46 users of the dating chatbot, aged 12 to 22, have been detained in Russia over the past year for various criminal activities, including assaulting law enforcement officers and arson.

AP - Durov was arrested in Paris in 2024 amid allegations that his platform was being used for illicit activity, including drug trafficking and the distribution of images of child sexual abuse.

AP - The Paris prosecutor’s office stated that Durov remains under formal investigation, facing an array of potential charges for alleged criminal activities linked to Telegram.

Fast Company - The FSB accused Telegram's administration of failing to remove "numerous channels, chats and bots" allegedly used by "Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist and extremist organizations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass murder, and cyberfraud" in Russia.

Fast Company - The FSB reported that 46 users of a popular dating chatbot on Telegram, aged 12 to 22, have been detained across Russia since July 2025 for various criminal activities, including assaulting law enforcement officers and arson.

Fast Company - If convicted, Durov could face up to life in prison in Russia.

NBC News - Darya Shipacheva was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony for treason.

Reuters - Russia's FSB has charged Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities.

NY Post - Durov has been put on an international wanted list for "aiding terrorism."

WHERE:

Reuters - Russia.

WHEN:

Reuters - The charges were announced on a Wednesday.

WHY:

NBC News - The charges against Shipacheva stemmed from an alleged money transfer to Ukraine.

Reuters - The FSB claims Durov facilitated terrorist activities, including those related to Ukraine.

HOW:

Reuters - Russian authorities have engaged in multipronged efforts to rein in the internet, adopting restrictive laws and banning websites and platforms that do not comply, while promoting a "national" messaging app known as MAX that shares user data with authorities upon request.

AP - Russian authorities have engaged in multipronged efforts to rein in the internet, adopting restrictive laws and banning websites and platforms that do not comply, while promoting a "national" messaging app known as MAX that shares user data with authorities upon request.

Fast Company - Russian authorities have engaged in multipronged efforts to rein in the internet, adopting restrictive laws and banning websites and platforms that do not comply, while promoting a "national" messaging app known as MAX that shares user data with authorities upon request.

NBC News - The trial was held behind closed doors, and Shipacheva pleaded guilty to the charges.

Reuters - The FSB's actions include issuing an international arrest warrant against Durov.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 22:21 UTC)

Russia's FSB has charged Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, with "aiding terrorism" and has placed him on an international wanted list, accusing the platform's administration of not removing channels allegedly linked to Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups. Additionally, the FSB reported that since July 2025, 46 users of a dating chatbot on Telegram, aged between 12 and 22, have been detained for various criminal activities, including assaulting law enforcement and arson, with Durov facing a potential life sentence if convicted. Russian authorities continue to tighten their grip on the internet, implementing restrictive laws and promoting a national messaging app called MAX that allows user data to be shared with the government upon request.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 19:23 UTC)

The FSB has accused Ukrainian security services of using a popular dating chatbot on Telegram to recruit Russians for sabotage and terrorist activities, leading to the detention of 46 users aged 12 to 22 for various crimes, including assaulting law enforcement officers and arson. Meanwhile, Telegram's founder, Durov, was arrested in Paris in 2024 amid allegations of his platform being used for illicit activities, and he remains under formal investigation for a range of potential charges. In response to these issues, Russian authorities have implemented strict internet regulations, promoting a national messaging app called MAX that complies with requests to share user data with the government.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 18:21 UTC)

The FSB has accused Telegram's administration of not removing channels and bots allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups to plan acts of sabotage and terrorism within Russia. In a related crackdown, 46 users of a dating chatbot on Telegram, aged 12 to 22, have been detained for various criminal activities, including assaulting law enforcement and arson, with potential convictions leading to severe penalties for Telegram's founder, Pavel Durov. Russian authorities continue to tighten their grip on the internet, implementing restrictive laws and promoting a national messaging app called MAX, which allows user data to be shared with the government upon request.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 17:21 UTC)

Russian journalist Darya Shipacheva has been sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony for treason, according to NBC News. The charges against her were linked to an alleged money transfer to Ukraine, and her trial took place behind closed doors. Shipacheva pleaded guilty to the charges during the proceedings.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 08:54 UTC)

Russia's Federal Security Service has charged Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, with facilitating terrorist activities, including those related to Ukraine. As a result, Durov has been placed on an international wanted list for allegedly aiding terrorism. The charges were announced on a Wednesday, and the FSB's actions include issuing an international arrest warrant against him.