Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov increased pressure by telling reporters on Tuesday that authorities noted “a large number of violations” and Telegram’s “unwillingness … to cooperate.”
The investigation represents the latest episode in Moscow’s long-standing conflict with Durov. In 2018, Russia attempted to block Telegram after the company refused to provide encryption keys—a ban that ultimately failed. Authorities have occasionally throttled the service since then, while also targeting other foreign platforms such as WhatsApp.
Durov, who left Russia in 2014, has often described the pressure as politically motivated. Earlier in February, he warned that Moscow was trying to steer users towards a state-controlled messaging app “built for surveillance and political censorship,” asserting: “Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy, no matter the pressure.”
The tech entrepreneur has faced issues outside Russia over the platform as well. In 2024, he was arrested in France and temporarily restricted from leaving the country after being charged with several organized crime offenses. Prosecutors alleged he refused to cooperate with efforts to combat illegal content, including child pornography, on Telegram. Durov denied wrongdoing.
Since its 2013 launch, Telegram has become a vital information hub in Russia and throughout the Ukraine war zone, used by officials, opposition figures, and Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The platform claims to have approximately 1 billion active users worldwide.
Telegram did not respond to POLITICO’s request for comment by the time of the article’s publication.
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