The **FSB** announced Wednesday that it has charged **Durov** with aiding terrorist activity. They allege that **Telegram** has become a conduit for Ukrainian intelligence to organize attacks and conduct espionage, specifically through platforms like the popular dating bot **Daivinchik**. According to the **FSB**, Ukrainian operatives have used **Daivinchik** to pose as young women, building relationships with men before coercing them into carrying out various attacks. The agency further claims that 46 individuals, aged between 12 and 22, have been detained since last summer in connection with this alleged recruitment campaign. The **FSB** also released a video purportedly showing young individuals confessing to setting gas stations ablaze in Russia after being recruited via **Telegram**. Independent verification of these claims and the video's authenticity has not been possible, and Ukraine's intelligence services have yet to comment. **Daivinchik**, a **Telegram**-based dating bot similar to **Tinder**, reportedly boasts up to 16 million monthly users. In December, Russian authorities added the bot to their official register of banned websites, citing content classified as child pornography and "LGBT propaganda." **Telegram** has not issued a formal response to the latest allegations. However, shortly after the **FSB**'s announcement, **Telegram**'s press service account on X posted a photo of **Durov** raising his middle finger—an image Russian media noted was originally published by **Durov** in 2011 during a dispute over **VKontakte**, the social network he founded. **Durov** had previously stated in February that Russian authorities had initiated a criminal case against him, accusing him of aiding terrorism. At the time, he remarked, "Each day, the authorities fabricate new pretexts to restrict Russians' access to **Telegram** as they seek to suppress the right to privacy and free speech. A sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people." ## Battle Against Telegram Escalates Russia and **Telegram** have a long history of conflict, largely stemming from the app's refusal to comply with government demands regarding content removal and data localization. With nearly 90 million users in Russia, **Telegram** has consistently resisted Moscow's pressure to remove content deemed extremist. **Durov** maintains that the Russian government's efforts are an attempt to force its citizens onto state-controlled communication platforms. Despite reports that **Telegram** is now largely inaccessible in Russia without VPNs, various Russian government institutions, including the Kremlin, continue to utilize the platform daily for updates. Earlier this month, Kremlin spokesman **Dmitry Peskov** indicated that discussions with **Telegram** to restore broader access were ongoing, though he suggested the company showed little interest in negotiations. **Andrei Svintsov**, deputy chairman of the State Duma's Committee on Information Policy, told the state media outlet **TASS** that **Telegram** could operate legally if it established a representative office in Russia, stored Russian user data within the country, and cooperated with security services on terrorism investigations. ## Durov Faces International Pressure The Russian case adds to **Durov**'s growing international legal challenges. In August 2024, French authorities detained and subsequently charged **Durov** upon his arrival at an airport, alleging **Telegram** had failed to adequately combat criminal activity and cooperate with law enforcement. The French investigation focused on the platform's alleged use in distributing child sexual abuse material, facilitating drug trafficking, fraud, and other organized crime. **Durov** has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that **Telegram** adheres to applicable laws and responds to legitimate legal requests. After several months in France as part of the investigation, he returned to Dubai in March, describing his arrest as "absurd." He stated, "The only outcome of my arrest so far has been massive damage to France's image as a free country." Born in Russia, **Durov** launched **Telegram** with his brother in 2013 after departing from **VKontakte**. **Telegram** later moved its headquarters to Dubai, and **Durov** became a citizen of the United Arab Emirates in 2021, also obtaining French citizenship. His current whereabouts are unconfirmed, though he recently stated he was in Georgia.