The actions of Telegram founder Pavel Durov are being investigated as part of the case of promoting terrorism, the media writes citing FSB data. According to this article, he could face up to 15 years in prison. The reason is due to ignoring requests to remove prohibited content as well as using Messenger to organize terrorist attacks.
Read more about why the FSB values Durov in URA.RU's article.
Durov could be sent to prison
Durov's actions are examined under Section 1.1 of Art. 205.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (promotion of terrorist activities). This was reported by Rossiyskaya Gazeta and Komsomolskaya Pravda with reference to documents from the FSB.
This stipulates severe punishment: from eight to fifteen years in prison with a fine of up to 700 thousand rubles. In some cases, it can even result in life imprisonment. The reason for initiating the case was the systematic failure of the messenger administration to comply with the requirements of Russian law.
150 thousand requests – no response
According to Komsomolskaya Pravda and Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Telegram ignored Roskomnadzor's order to delete large amounts of prohibited information. We're talking tens of thousands of resources:
- More than 10.5 thousand documents calling for extremism, “financing the enemy”;
- 1,369 channels, chats, and bots distributing child pornography;
- 3,771 sources related to drug trafficking;
- 2,666 channels promote suicide;
- 2124 resources involving minors in illegal activities.
In total, according to the Ministry of Digital Development, Roskomnadzor sent more than 150 thousand requests to the messaging agency with a request to remove illegal content. However, all were ignored. In particular, the ministry has drafted eight administrative decrees, each of which threatens fines of up to 8 million rubles. Telegram's total unpaid fine debt exceeds 29.6 million rubles.
Pavel Durov's actions began to be investigated in a criminal case in Russia
Telegram is a weapon of criminals
RG, in consultation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB, writes that since 2022, Telegram has been involved in 153 thousand criminal cases. Of these, 33 thousand are related to sabotage, terrorism and extremism. However, thanks to the work of the FSB, 475 terrorist attacks were prevented, the preparations for which were carried out through Telegram. Among them were 61 school massacres planned by teenagers under the influence of those in charge from Ukraine.
However, not everything is prevented. Famous crimes such as the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, the murder of Daria Dugina, General Igor Kirillov and eight other high-ranking military officers were all coordinated through Telegram. In total, about 700 direct threats to family members of Russian soldiers were recorded through telegram channels. The adversary used Telegram analytics to collect data about the target's routes and daily habits.
Why did they start restricting messengers in the Russian Federation?
Problems with the messenger have been accumulating for many years. According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the platform initially relied on absolute anonymity and independence from the authorities of any country. This “illusion of freedom” has attracted radicals, drug traffickers, and terrorists to Telegram.
By 2015, about 18 thousand Russians were moderates and members of communities involved in international terrorist attacks. Telegram offers no censorship, allowing the exchange of coordinates, personal data and details of confidential financial transactions.
With the start of a special military operation, Telegram became the main tool of the intelligence agencies of NATO countries and Ukraine. Through this, coordinates are blocked, secret information is sold and pressure is put on the military and their families.
Efforts to regulate and duplicate Telegram games
Russia has been trying to force Telegram to comply with the law since 2018, when the Tagansky Court in Moscow decided to restrict access to the messaging app for refusing to provide encryption keys to the FSB. From that moment, as stated in RG's article, written under the FSB, the Telegram authorities began to play a double game: publicly declaring readiness for dialogue, but constantly pushing back the deadline.
Since 2021, Russia began to impose penalties on Telegram: worth more than 141 million rubles, of which only 49 million were paid. In October 2021, Pavel Durov left Russia. In August 2025, Roskomnadzor restricted voice calls on Telegram because the service was actively used for fraud and engaging Russians in sabotage activities, leading to a 23% decrease in the number of cybercrimes.
Slowing down messages becomes a necessary measure
On February 10, Roskomnadzor began gradually slowing down Telegram in Russia. The Ministry affirmed that Pavel Durov's messenger still did not comply with Russian law and did not ensure the safety of people. RKN reports that “at the discretion of the competent authorities” they will continue to gradually introduce restrictions.
On February 18, Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadayev said at a meeting of the State Duma that Telegram did not respond to 150 thousand requests to remove prohibited content, including materials with child pornography and information about drugs. He also claimed that foreign intelligence agencies had access to Messenger correspondence. According to him, this is why the authorities decided to slow down the process of transferring media files to Telegram. Shadayev emphasized that the exchange of messages is not limited.
In August 2025, Roskomnadzor announced restrictions on calls to Telegram and WhatsApp (owned by Meta, considered extremist and banned in Russia). The agency explains this by saying that these messengers have become the main service for voice communications, used for fraud, blackmail as well as engaging Russians in sabotage and terrorist activities. In October, the regulator said it was taking measures to partially restrict the operations of foreign instant messaging services “to fight crime”.
