Telegram fouinder and CEO Pavel Durov was the target of a international warrant issued by Moscow which wants him on charges the app was used to organize terror attacks in Russia. File Photo by Nick Lubushko/Wikipedia Commons
July 29 (UPI) -- Russia issued an international arrest warrant Wednesday for Telegram CEO Pavel Durov after charging him with facilitating terrorism, alleging Ukrainian intelligence agencies and terrorist groups had used the messaging app for covert operations and recruitment.
The Federal Security Service, successor to the Soviet-era KGB, alleges Telegram had been used "to prepare and co-ordinate acts of sabotage and terror" in Russia and flouted orders to delete channels, chats and bots used by Ukraine.
The FSB claimed Ukrainian secret services used a dating chat to draw Russians into "sabotage and terrorist activities through deception and psychological manipulation," saying 46 people, including minors were in detention.
The suspects are alleged to have "committed armed attacks on law enforcement officers, set fire to transport, energy, communications, and credit and financial system facilities."
