Russia has added Telegram founder Pavel Durov to its official list of individuals designated as terrorists, DIE ZEIT reported on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The move escalates tensions between the Russian government and the messaging app’s creator, who has been a vocal critic of the Kremlin.
According to DIE ZEIT, the designation places Durov on a registry used by Russian authorities to track and restrict individuals deemed a threat to national security. The report did not specify the exact reasons for the listing, but it follows a series of legal actions against Durov in recent years, including previous charges related to his refusal to comply with Russian data localization laws.
The terrorism listing is the latest in a string of confrontations between Durov and Russian authorities. Earlier reports from Spiegel and taz.de noted that Durov had publicly defied Russian demands, with taz describing a gesture of defiance from the Telegram founder. MDR.de also reported that Russia had issued an international arrest warrant for Durov earlier this week, signaling a broader crackdown.
Telegram, which Durov founded in 2013, has been a target of Russian censorship efforts since 2018, when authorities attempted to block the app for refusing to hand over encryption keys. The service remains widely used in Russia despite ongoing restrictions.
Observers will watch for whether the terrorism listing leads to further legal action against Durov or additional restrictions on Telegram’s operations within Russia.
