The situation around Telegram founder Pavel Durov raises many questions and controversies in society. Russian oppositionist Ilya Ponomarev shared his thoughts on the latest developments around Durov. In his commentary , he touched upon various aspects of the well-known businessman’s personality and activities, Komersant ukrainskyi
reports
“Pavel is a peculiar person, we are kind of buddies, but I doubt that he has any real friends,” Ponomarev began.
He emphasised that Durov is one of Russia’s brightest entrepreneurs who deserves respect.
“I hope that justice will be done to him and that the investigation will be objective and impartial,” he added.
However, according to Ponomarev, Durov is not a fighter for freedom of speech, but rather a businessman like many others in Silicon Valley.
“There are a lot of people of this type in Silicon Valley, and not only there. They always believe that they know everything best, are not inclined to compromise with others, and clearly draw their line through their business,” the politician explains, citing the example of Elon Musk.
As for the persecution of Durov, Ponomaryov believes that the case is not about freedom of speech.
“Telegram is not a media outlet, but a communication platform. The organiser of the platform should not censor statements, but should ensure compliance with the law,” he said.
Ponomarev emphasises the importance of compliance with the law, even if the platform is not a media outlet.
According to Ponomarev, Durov’s problems are not only related to Telegram, but also to a failed cryptocurrency project.
“He quarreled with the US, made a bunch of influential enemies who invested in his project, and the money got stuck. These problems have been growing in recent years,” he comments.
Ponomarev also raises concerns about Durov’s relations with various countries, including the US, France and Ukraine, where he has had acute conflicts, unlike Russia, with which he seems to have made peace.
“But he made peace with Russia, and he was not afraid to fly back and forth to Moscow and St. Petersburg, despite any risks. And he lived under the protection of Moscow’s ally in Dubai. It is difficult to make any accusations on this basis, but it is an alarm bell. The attempt to meet with Putin before his arrest, an attempt that was blocked by the same creditors, is an even more alarming bell. I hope that Pavlo will be able to tell us later what this meeting was about and dispel legitimate doubts,” the politician emphasises.
In conclusion, Ponomaryov calls for calm and close monitoring of the situation:
“I hope to see Pavel Durov at large soon and hear what really happened, and then draw a final conclusion. And I urge everyone to cool their emotions, not to take sides, but to closely follow the explanations of the French authorities.”
It should be noted that Durov was detained on 24 August in the evening when his private jet arrived in Paris from Azerbaijan. the 39-year-old Durov was accompanied by his bodyguard and an unnamed woman. The warrant for his detention was issued by the French judicial police on the basis of a preliminary investigation. Durov is accused of complicity in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud due to the lack of moderation on Telegram.
Pavel Durov
Pavel Durov is a Russian programmer and entrepreneur born on 10 October 1984 in Leningrad. He is the creator of the social network VKontakte and the Telegram messenger. Durov graduated from the Faculty of Philology at St. Petersburg State University, where he also received training in propaganda and psychological warfare at the military department.
In 2006, Durov launched VKontakte, which became the most popular social network in Russia. In 2014, he resigned as CEO of VKontakte and left the country, claiming that it was impossible to run an online business there. Durov is a libertarian and vegetarian, known for his unconventional views on life and business.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in a nutshell
As of 2021, Durov’s net worth was estimated at $17.2 billion, making him the eighth richest Russian. He holds citizenship in several countries, including France and the UAE. on 24 August 2024, Durov was detained in France on suspicion of complicity in crimes due to insufficient moderation of Telegram. He faces up to 20 years in prison, and the case will be heard by a French court.
Telegram and its role in the Russian-Ukrainian war
Telegram is a multi-platform messenger that provides messaging and file sharing, video calling, and optional end-to-end encrypted chats known as “secret chats”. The messenger was developed by Nikolai and Pavel Durov, and the first release took place in 2013. Telegram is registered in the British Virgin Islands and is headquartered in Dubai.
The messenger plays an important role in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. It has become a platform for disseminating information, coordinating actions, and conducting information operations on both sides of the conflict. The Ukrainian military and activists use Telegram to disseminate operational information, raise funds, and maintain the morale of the population.
On the other hand, Russian special services can use Telegram to monitor and analyse the actions of Ukrainian users. It is known that the ability to obtain information about users through the platform’s API creates potential security risks, making Telegram both an important tool and a possible threat.
Pavel Durov is known for his tough stance on refusing to cooperate with governments in providing access to encrypted user data. He has repeatedly stated that he will not hand over his encryption keys to any authorities, which has drawn criticism from some governments and organisations. This stance allows Telegram to remain one of the most secure messengers, but at the same time creates challenges for law enforcement agencies in the fight against cybercrime.