Head of Russia’s FSB reports failure of talks with Telegram’s Durov
FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov officially stated that the Russian security service is currently not conducting any negotiations with Telegram founder Pavel Durov. According to him, previous attempts at dialogue were unsuccessful, as Durov allegedly acts out of “self-serving interests.”
This was reported by The Moscow Times.
Bortnikov accused the messenger of enabling crime, terrorism, and sabotage, emphasizing that the FSB’s role is to protect citizens’ interests, not address freedom of speech issues.
The statement comes amid a large-scale campaign of pressure on Telegram in Russia, including slowing down the service and blocking media content. Earlier, Russia’s Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadaev claimed that foreign intelligence services had gained access to Russian military personnel’s conversations on the messenger. Russian authorities are actively encouraging users to switch to the state-run app MAX, which critics and independent experts consider a tool for mass surveillance and censorship.
Telegram quickly responded to Moscow’s allegations, calling the claims about encryption breaches “deliberate fabrications.” The company stated that no security violations had been detected and that Russia’s accusations were aimed solely at justifying the platform’s ban and forcing citizens to use government-controlled services. Telegram representatives emphasized that the platform remains committed to privacy principles and protecting user data worldwide.
