Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said that Telegram founder Pavel Durov made a miscalculation that led to his arrest in France.

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram

Reuters on August 25 quoted Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev as saying that Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram, made a miscalculation when leaving Russia.

Speaking after Mr. Durov was arrested in France, Mr. Medvedev said that the businessman was mistaken in thinking that he would never have to cooperate with security agencies abroad.

Billionaire Durov (40 years old), who has a fortune of 15.5 billion USD, took a private plane from Azerbaijan to France and was arrested at around 8:00 p.m. on August 24 (local time) for investigation.

French media reported that the investigation focused on allegations that Telegram lacked moderators, facilitating criminal activity. Mr Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing a government request to block opposition communities on his previous social media platform, VK.

Mr Medvedev recalled a conversation he had with Mr Durov a few years ago, saying that if he did not cooperate with law enforcement agencies, the businessman would be in trouble in any country.

The official said Mr Durov wanted to become “a shining man of the world and live wonderfully without a homeland”.

“He miscalculated. For all our common enemies today, he is Russian, unpredictable and dangerous. Mr Durov should finally realize that one cannot choose another’s homeland,” Mr Medvedev said.

Born in Russia, Mr. Durov has also had French and United Arab Emirates (UAE) citizenship since 2021.

The Russian Embassy in France has requested consular access to Mr. Durov and asked the French side to ensure his rights, TASS reported, accusing the French side of “evasiveness” regarding Mr. Durov’s situation.

Russian diplomats are currently in contact with Mr. Durov’s lawyer, according to the embassy.

Speaking about the incident, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that France’s arrest of Mr. Durov raises questions about whether international organizations will call for his release or “swallow their tongues.”

The diplomat recalled that in 2018, a group of 26 NGOs condemned the Russian court for its decision to block Telegram.

Headquartered in Dubai (UAE), the app was founded by Mr. Durov and his brother Nikolai Durov in 2013.

Telegram is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet countries, ranking as one of the largest social media platforms after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Wechat. Telegram aims to reach one billion users next year.