Russia issues international arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov on terrorism charges

Russian authorities have issued an international arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov, accusing him of complicity in terrorist activities. The investigation focuses on the app's alleged use to recruit young Russians for sabotage operations via a chatbot. This escalates tensions between Moscow and Durov, who is currently in France facing separate legal proceedings.

On Wednesday, Russian authorities announced an international arrest warrant for Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, on charges of 'complicity in terrorist activities.' The Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that Durov, currently in France, is implicated in a criminal investigation into the app's use to recruit and train young Russians for sabotage operations via a chatbot known as 'Leo Match Bot,' which Moscow claims is operated by Ukrainian intelligence. According to the FSB, in July 2025, 46 individuals aged 12 to 22 were arrested for attacking security personnel and carrying out sabotage targeting energy and transport infrastructure. This development follows growing tensions between Moscow and Durov after Russian authorities opened an investigation into him in February 2025 over his criticism of government social media policies. Durov has accused Russian authorities of seeking to restrict access to Telegram and suppress privacy and free speech. The Russian warrant comes while Durov remains under judicial investigation in France since his arrest in 2024 on charges of complicity in distributing child sexual abuse material.