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Pavel Durov Faces Growing Pressure in Russia

Pressure on Telegram founder Pavel Durov continues to escalate in Russia.

Russian authorities have reportedly opened a criminal case accusing Durov of facilitating terrorist activity. Russian state media later reported that he could face life imprisonment if convicted under terrorism-related charges.

According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the case centers on the “DaVinchik/Leo” dating bot on Telegram. Investigators allege that Ukrainian intelligence services used the bot to contact young Russians while posing as women. Those conversations allegedly led to further contact from people claiming to be law enforcement officers, who then intimidated the victims and persuaded them to carry out acts of arson and sabotage under the guise of “security checks.”

Several Russian politicians have since weighed in.

State Duma deputy Oleg Matveychev said Durov should decide “whether he is Russian or something else.”

“His ancestors fought in the Great Patriotic War and survived the Siege of Leningrad. If that means nothing to him, and he prefers Dubai’s skyscrapers and prostitutes, then that’s his world.”

Deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy Andrey Svintsov also urged Russians to refrain from purchasing Telegram subscriptions or conducting financial transactions through the platform until Roskomnadzor and the FSB provide further clarification.

The rhetoric marks a sharp contrast with two years ago, when the Kremlin, the Russian Foreign Ministry, members of the State Duma and former President Dmitry Medvedev publicly defended Durov and encouraged him to return to Russia. Critics now point out that, had he followed that advice, he might already be sitting in pre-trial detention.

One possible interpretation is that, after setbacks involving Russian digital platforms and with Telegram remaining one of the few major communication platforms still outside direct state control, authorities may now be seeking greater leverage over the messaging app. That remains speculation rather than an established fact, but the current pressure campaign has fueled such discussion.

Sources:

• TASS – reporting on the criminal case and potential sentence.
• RIA Novosti – statements from State Duma deputies and developments in the case.
• State Duma – official information and deputies’ statements.