The Kremlin has dismissed any claims of a relationship between Russian authorities and Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov. On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified that no deals or negotiations had ever taken place between Durov and the Kremlin, nor were there any meetings between Durov and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“There were no negotiations between Durov and the Kremlin,” Peskov told reporters. “And the fact that he visited Russia, well, he is a Russian citizen, he moves freely, so naturally he visited Russia.
“There were no deals between the Kremlin and Durov,” Peskov said in response to further questions. Peskov said that as far as he was aware, Putin and Durov had never met.
This statement comes in response to the recent formal investigation launched by a French judge against Durov, who is accused of being complicit in facilitating illegal activities through the Telegram platform, including child sex abuse imagery, drug trafficking, and fraud. Durov’s legal team has strongly rejected these accusations, labeling them as “absurd” and arguing that the platform should not be held responsible for the actions of its users.
Despite past tensions, including Moscow’s unsuccessful attempt to block Telegram in 2018 and demands for user data that Durov refused to meet, Russian officials have expressed support for Durov in the face of the French investigation. Peskov stated that this case should not escalate into political persecution.
The investigation has strained Franco-Russian relations, with some pro-Kremlin voices in Moscow accusing Washington of being behind Durov’s detention—an allegation that Paris has denied.
Melissa Enoch
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