Russian officials have charged Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of the messaging app Telegram, with aiding terrorism. Photograph: Manuel Blondeau/Corbis/Getty ImagesUnder Vladimir Putin, Russian authorities have banned websites and platforms that do not comply with tight restrictions. It is possible to circumvent some Kremlin restrictions by using virtual private networks (VPNs) but many of these are now being blocked. Despite the restrictions, multiple Russian officials still use Telegram and regularly update their “channels” – its term for blogs – on the platform. Peskov did not respond to a request for comment on what had made the Russian authorities change their position.