Russia's Federal Security Service has accused Telegram founder Pavel Durov of enabling sabotage, terrorist recruitment and mass murder, formally adding the 41-year-old to its international wanted list. The move comes as the Kremlin ramps up its promotion of Max, a state-linked messaging platform that digital rights researchers say hands user data directly to authorities. Human Rights Watch documented the push in a March 2026 report, citing Durov's own description of the pressure campaign as an effort to force people onto 'a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship'.
The FSB said on Wednesday that Telegram had failed to remove channels allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence to coordinate sabotage and cyber fraud inside Russia. Durov, who holds French and Emirati citizenship and lives in Dubai, could face life in prison if convicted.
