The Kremlin is working to address concerns that the recent detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France might disrupt the widely used messaging platform, which holds huge importance in Russia and plays a crucial role in the Ukrainian war effort. Russian government spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed calls, including from Russia’s RT news editor, to delete sensitive messages from the app as “utterly stupid.”
Peskov acknowledged the severity of the accusations against Durov—who holds Russian, French, and UAE citizenship—but stressed that French authorities must present “equally serious” evidence to substantiate these claims.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has leveled multiple charges against Durov
He suggested that without such evidence, there could be an attempt to limit communication freedom or intimidate a major corporate leader, hinting at possible political motives behind the charges, despite French President Emmanuel Macron’s denial of political influence in the case.
The Kremlin’s effort to reassure users about Telegram’s future reflects the platform’s strategic value to Russia’s military operations. Macron’s statement that the charges against Durov were “in no way political” is obvious given that French officials typically refrain from commenting on criminal matters to avoid accusations of political interference.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has leveled multiple charges against Durov, alleging his platform facilitated money laundering, drug trafficking, and child exploitation, and accused him of failing to assist with French investigations into potentially illicit communications.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking in Moscow, speculated without evidence that Durov’s arrest might be an attempt to coerce him into revealing encryption codes, describing Telegram as a crucial tool for both Russian military and civilian communication.
With approximately 950 million users, Telegram’s robust encryption and expansive functionality make it a popular choice in restrictive environments and conflict zones, such as Ukraine, where it is used for military updates and air raid alerts.
Telegram’s role as a primary communication tool for pro-Russian military bloggers and its controversial support from the Kremlin are surprising given Durov’s previous refusal to provide data to Moscow from his former venture, Vkontakte (VK). After resigning from VK and selling his shares, Durov relocated to Dubai, where Telegram is now headquartered.
