Russia has initiated a criminal investigation into Telegram founder Pavel Durov, accusing him of assisting terrorist activities. The Russian Federal Security Service claims Durov violated Article 205.1, Paragraph 1.1 of the Russian Federation Criminal Code by allegedly facilitating the dissemination of illegal content on Telegram. Authorities accuse the platform of ignoring demands to remove banned channels and chats, which they claim are used for criminal activities and spreading extremist materials. The investigation follows actions by Russia's communications regulator, which began restricting Telegram in 2025 due to increased fraud and intensified "traffic throttling" measures in February 2026, citing non-compliance with Russian law. Durov has defended Telegram's stance, emphasizing its commitment to freedom of expression and privacy.