Russian authorities have opened a criminal case on charges of “aiding terrorism” against Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
“Every day the authorities come up with new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram, seeking to suppress the right to privacy and freedom of speech. It’s a sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people,” Durov wrote on his Telegram channel.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, citing “materials” from the Federal Security Service (FSB), said the perpetrators of the March 2024 attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow coordinated via Telegram.
The outlet also claims the messenger was used to prepare the killings of Russian propagandists and senior military figures, including Daria Dugina, Vladlen Tatarsky (Maxim Fomin) and General Igor Kirillov.
Amid the war against Ukraine, Russian authorities have introduced restrictions on digital services and communications
Since August 2025, calls via Telegram and WhatsApp have been blocked in Russia. According to the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor, the measures are tied to the use of messengers by terrorists and scammers.
In October, Roskomnadzor said it began partially restricting Telegram and WhatsApp, ostensibly to counter fraud.
In January, Andrei Svintsov, a member of the State Duma’s information policy committee, accused Telegram of “blocking anonymous channels too slowly,” but said a full ban was not expected. “There are anonymous Telegram channels that write all sorts of nonsense, distorting facts. Apparently, these channels are not being blocked promptly enough in Russia,” Svintsov said.
On February 10, Roskomnadzor officially confirmed plans to deliberately slow Telegram’s performance. The regulator said it would introduce “gradual restrictions,” formally citing violations of Russian law and threats to “citizens’ safety.” Internet censorship experts say the real goal is to create conditions to gradually squeeze out Telegram-much as with YouTube and WhatsApp-and push users in Russia to state-controlled messengers, especially Max and VK.
