Moscow claims that Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest in Paris stands as an assault on freedom of speech — but experts say the Kremlin could use the international controversy to exploit one of the few platforms that has avoided censorship.
The Kremlin has spent years trying to get its hands on Telegram to “expand” its power to censor and control content on the app after Durov, 39, fled the country in 2014 when he reportedly refused to turn over the encryption keys, said George Barros, of the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War think tank.
“The Kremlin sees Telegram as a liability,” Barros told The Post. “It is the largest platform in Russia that the Kremlin does not control.”
Barros speculated that if Russian diplomats can pressure France to release him to Russian hands, the Kremlin would have leverage over the Saint Petersburg-born billionaire.
“If they get him delivered into their custody, and they can detain him and coerce him — then, yeah, they could try to get the keys to Telegram, which Durov has been fighting against for years,” Barros added. “That would be very bad.”
Christine Dugoin-Clément, a researcher and Ukraine-Russian expert at the Sorbonne Business School in Paris, said Telegram, which has more than 900 million users worldwide, has become a cornerstone for Moscow’s military after efforts to ban the platform failed in 2018.
With the start of the Ukraine invasion in 2022, the app became the primary choice for officials and soldiers to communicate and coordinate its attacks, Dugoin-Clément said.
“They share files and videos on it, as well as notes on military operations,” she added, noting that Telegram was heavily used by Wagner militia chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who rebelled against the Kremlin last year and then died when his private jet blew up mid-flight.
“Prigozhin would not have been able to grow, and the Wagner group wouldn’t have become what it became without Telegram as a platform to amplify promotions, critiques and expand the recruiting and patronage networks,” Barros added.
Dugoin-Clément said that along with its military use, Telegram has become “a tool by the Kremlin and pro-Russian bloggers to spread misinformation.”
Russia is so reliant on the app that reports following Durov’s arrest claimed Kremlin officials were deleting their accounts, according to Russian outlet Baza.
Margarita Simonyan, a Russian state media executive and propagandist, used the app on Sunday to call on everyone to immediately delete their “sensitive conversations and chats” and to avoid using the app in the future.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov scoffed at the notion, telling reporters on Tuesday that such efforts were “utterly stupid.”
But while Telegram serves as a powerful tool for the Kremlin, it also gives its critics the chance to communicate and challenge Russian President Vladimir Putin in a way that would not be possible on other outlets.
“And so when it comes to Durov’s arrest, you know, I’m not convinced that it’s a good thing,” Barros said, suggesting there may be a mass exodus from the platform.
“If there is indeed a mass exodus from Telegram, that would be terrible,” he said. “The reason why is because the other platforms where these guys could go are Russian state-controlled.
“They will be found, they will be silenced, they will be censored,” he added.
Dugoin-Clément agreed with the analysis, saying this could be Moscow’s chance to crack down on the platform and demand that its most prominent users hand over information of their thousands of followers.
Despite the freedom of speech issues at hand, neither Barros nor Dugoin-Clément were quick to label Durov a “free speech advocate.”
Dugoin-Clément pointed out recent reports of Durov allegedly trying to meet with Putin, allegations that the Kremlin has denied.
“And if you look at all the big investors in Telegram, you’ll find many are Russian oligarchs and Putin’s old pals,” she added.
Durov, who was arrested in a Paris airport on Saturday, has maintained that Telegram is a neutral social media platform.
Durov, 39, is suspected of being complicit in global drug trafficking, pedophilia and fraud allegedly conducted on Telegram because the company is unwilling to work with police, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement.
Telegram said in a statement Sunday that it was “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.”
