The Kremlin has attempted to ease concerns that the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France could impact the messaging platform, which plays a crucial role in Russia and Ukraine’s war efforts. Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov called calls for users to delete sensitive messages “utterly stupid” and stated that French authorities would need to present serious evidence to back up allegations against Durov.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Peskov emphasized that restricting freedom of communication or intimidating a large company would be unacceptable. The Kremlin’s efforts to reassure Telegram users underscore the platform’s importance in Russia’s military operations.
Telegram has become a vital tool for Ukrainian officials to share military updates and warnings about air raids, as well as a key means of communication for Russian military personnel and pro-Kremlin bloggers. With around 950 million users, the app is one of the world’s most popular messaging platforms due to its strong end-to-end encryption, limited content moderation, and functionality.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Durov was taken away on someone’s advice and is being threatened with punishment, allegedly hoping to gain access to encryption codes. Pro- Russian war bloggers have also expressed concerns about the potential impact of Durov’s arrest on Telegram’s operations.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/27/tech/pavel-durov-telegram-kremlin-intl/index.html