MOSCOW, Russia – Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities and announced that an international arrest warrant has been issued for him. Shortly after the announcement, Telegram’s official account on X posted an image of Durov making an obscene gesture but offered no further comment. Although Moscow has repeatedly sought to limit the platform’s influence while promoting its state-backed MAX messaging service, Russian government institutions, including the Kremlin and the Defence Ministry, continue to use Telegram for official communications. The latest case follows reports earlier this year that Russian authorities had opened a terrorism-related investigation against Durov. His current whereabouts remain unclear, although recent social media posts suggested he had been in Dubai and had recently visited Georgia.