Moscow targets Telegram, accuses app of aiding terrorists and NATO

Feb 24, 2026, 2:14 PM

Russia intensified its efforts to control the Telegram messaging app on Tuesday, announcing in a state-run newspaper that it was investigating billionaire founder Pavel Durov as part of a criminal case involving terrorism accusations.

Russia is attempting to block Telegram, which has over 1 billion active users and is widely utilized in both Russia and Ukraine, and redirect tens of millions of Russians to a state-supported alternative known as MAX.

Telegram did not reply to a request for comment, and Durov could not be reached, although the app has consistently denied Russia’s allegations that it is a haven for criminal activity and compromised by both Western and Ukrainian intelligence.

Russia’s official state newspaper, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, published a 1,500-word article on Tuesday, claiming it was "based on materials from Russia’s Federal Security Service," accusing the app of being "a tool for hybrid threats."

"The actions of the head of Telegram, P. Durov, are being investigated as part of a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 1.1 of Article 205.1 (assistance to terrorist activities) of the Criminal Code of Russia," it stated.

The newspaper claimed Telegram had become a tool of the NATO military alliance and Ukraine, widely used by radicals and terrorists, posing a "threat to our society."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that authorities had noted a large amount of material on Telegram that could "potentially pose a threat" to Russia.

"A large number of violations and the unwillingness of Telegram’s administration to cooperate with our authorities have been recorded," Peskov told reporters. "Our relevant authorities are taking the measures they deem appropriate."

Four years into the deadliest European war since World War Two, Russia is expanding its substantial repressive powers and developing a more advanced digital surveillance state similar to China’s.

Russian crackdown

Russian officials assert that the crackdown on virtual private networks (VPNs) and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram is essential for security, as Moscow confronts deadly attacks deep within Russia from Ukraine and alleged sabotage attempts by Western intelligence agencies.

Western intelligence agencies, on the other hand, claim they are facing the greatest Russian threat since the Cold War and are attempting to recruit agents in Russia but deny any effort to destroy Russia.

Moscow has been tightening control over Telegram for months, initially slowing down voice and video calls and then temporarily blocking the app for some users earlier this month, although it was still operational for Reuters reporters in Moscow on Tuesday.

Since its inception in 2013, Telegram has become a key source of news within Russia, including for soldiers on both sides of the 1,200 km (750 mile) front line in eastern Ukraine.

Telegram is widely used

The app is utilized by the Kremlin, pro-Russian war bloggers, and pro-Putin propagandists, as well as anti-Putin opposition groups abroad, the growing nationalist opposition, and Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Durov, a 41-year-old billionaire born in President Vladimir Putin’s hometown of Leningrad, stated that Russia’s efforts would fail.

"Russia is restricting access to Telegram to force its citizens onto a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship," Durov said on February 11.

"This authoritarian move won’t change our course. Telegram stands for freedom and privacy, no matter the pressure," he added, stating that Moscow’s attempt to suffocate Telegram would ultimately fail.

Durov, now residing in the United Arab Emirates, left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on his VK social media platform.

He has criticized restrictions both in Europe and in Russia. After he was arrested at Le Bourget airport in Paris in 2024, he repeatedly accused French intelligence of trying to coerce him into censoring some content on the app. He was allowed to leave France in 2025 while investigations continued.

Durov, who describes his political views as "libertarian", has also accused French President Emmanuel Macron of trying to turn the EU into a "digital gulag".

Russia’s FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said on Saturday that Ukraine’s armed forces and intelligence services were extracting data from the app, including usage by Russian soldiers.