Russian authorities have initiated a criminal investigation into Telegram co-founder and CEO Pavel Durov, according to state media reports.
Durov is being investigated in Russia as part of a criminal case over the alleged facilitation of terrorist activities, official state publication Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported on Tuesday, citing information from the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reportedly confirmed the investigation, saying the reports were based on materials from the FSB, which is “carrying out its functions.”
The latest news adds to the ongoing pressure campaign against Telegram in Russia after Russian state media regulator Roskomnadzor tightened messenger restrictions in early February.
Telegram had not responded to the reports by publication. Cointelegraph contacted Telegram for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
The reported investigation builds on Telegram’s refusal to comply with Roskomnadzor’s demands to remove extremist-linked content.
According to the state-linked Komsomolskaya Pravda, Telegram has not removed nearly 155,000 channels, chats and bots flagged for illegal or harmful content locally.
The largest categories include 104,093 channels containing false information, 10,598 promoting extremism, 4,168 justifying extremist activity and 3,771 related to drugs.
The investigation could lead to the entire platform being labeled as extremist, former Russian presidential internet adviser German Klimenko reportedly warned. He said that could criminalize payments for Telegram Premium subscriptions and advertising on the platform.
Durov has previously said the pressure is aimed at steering users toward a new state-backed messenger called MAX.
He added that other countries, including Iran, have attempted similar strategies and failed. “Despite the ban, most Iranians still use Telegram and prefer it to surveilled apps,” Durov wrote on his Telegram channel on Feb. 10.
“Restricting citizens’ freedom is never the right answer. Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy, no matter the pressure,” Durov added.
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The Russian investigation comes as Durov remains under scrutiny abroad. Durov is part of an ongoing inquiry in France after his arrest in August 2024.
French authorities lifted Durov’s travel ban in November 2025 after previously saying he could face up to 10 years in prison.
