Russian authorities have filed criminal charges against Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, accusing him of facilitating terrorism through the messaging platform. The charges mark a significant escalation in the government's long-running pressure campaign against one of the world's most widely used encrypted communication apps.

The case reflects an ongoing fight over Telegram, which has become a critical infrastructure for information sharing in Russia and globally. With over 900 million active users, the platform's refusal to comply with state demands for user data and content moderation has repeatedly put it at odds with the Kremlin.

Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after refusing to hand over user data from his previous social network VK, has consistently positioned Telegram as a defender of privacy and free speech. The terrorism facilitation charges carry severe penalties and signal Russian authorities' willingness to pursue platform founders directly rather than merely blocking services.