MOSCOW

The actions of Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov are being investigated over criminal charges of aiding terrorist activities, Russian state-run media reported on Tuesday.

Based on materials from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), state daily Rossiyskaya Gazeta claimed that since 2022, the number of registered crimes committed using the messaging app has topped 153,000.

It added that 33,000 were crimes of a sabotage-terrorist and extremist nature, including organizing explosions, arson attacks on military enlistment offices, and murders.

"Thanks to the work of Russia’s FSB, it was possible to prevent 475 terrorist attacks which were prepared through Telegram," the daily said.

Among the crimes prevented were reportedly 61 school mass shootings planned by teenagers.

The article also said the March 2024 terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in the Moscow Oblast was coordinated through the app.

"The victims of digital permissiveness were Russian citizens, bloggers, and journalists, including Darya Dugina and Maxim Fomin, as well as nine high-ranking military officials, including Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov. The enemy, using Telegram analytics, collected data about their relatives, travel routes, and daily routines," it said.

Additionally, about 700 direct threats to family members of Russian military personnel have been recorded, it reported.

At the same time, over the past few years, Russia’s state media regulator Roskomnadzor has sent more than 150,000 requests to Durov's team through official contacts demanding the removal of illegal content of various kinds, but they were ignored, it said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian authorities are aware of the situation.

"A large number of violations are recorded, as well as the unwillingness of the Telegram administration to cooperate with the Russian authorities. They also record a large amount of content that could potentially be dangerous for Russia," said Peskov.

On that basis, relevant authorities take those measures "which they consider appropriate," he said, adding that the Kremlin does not have the authority to decide to block messengers.

"This is not part of the Kremlin's functions. This is part of the functions of the relevant departments, which do the work they are supposed to do," he said.

Responding to the developments, Durov accused authorities of “fabricating new pretexts” to restrict access to Telegram.

“Russia has opened a criminal case against me for ‘aiding terrorism.’ Each day, 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,” he said on Telegram.