Russian Spy Chief Claims Durov Refuses to Share Secrets with the West
According to Sergey Naryshkin, the Telegram CEO is not expected to share any confidential information with the West following his arrest in France. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The Telegram CEO was arrested in France as part of a probe into his alleged complicity in criminal activities on the platform.
According to Sergey Naryshkin, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the West is highly unlikely to obtain any sensitive data from Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who was taken into custody by French authorities last week. In an interview with TASS on Tuesday, when asked if Moscow was worried about Durov potentially sharing secrets with the West, Naryshkin dismissed the idea, stating, “I really hope that he will not allow this.”
Durov was arrested at a Paris airport after arriving on a private plane from Azerbaijan on Saturday. French prosecutors have indicated that the Telegram CEO, who holds citizenship in France, Russia, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, was detained as part of a larger investigation into child pornography, drug sales, fraud, and other criminal activities connected to the platform. Additionally, he is under scrutiny for allegedly refusing to assist law enforcement agencies looking into cyber and financial crimes.
Telegram has responded to the potential charges by asserting that it is “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” Meanwhile, various opinion leaders across the globe perceive the arrest as a suppression of free speech, suggesting that the U.S. may have played a role in the detention.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov remarked that the arrest was made “obviously on someone’s advice,” adding that those responsible for the decision were likely seeking access to Telegram’s encryption codes. He argued, “The French actions have proven that Telegram is indeed a resilient and popular network.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov labeled the suggestion that Telegram users might have to delete their message feeds following Durov’s arrest as “utter stupidity,” noting that senior Russian government officials do not utilize the platform for official purposes.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Durov’s arrest “is in no way a political decision,” reaffirming France's commitment to the principle of free speech. Nonetheless, Peskov indicated that the investigation could potentially take a political turn. He cautioned that any charges against Durov “require… a serious evidence base,” warning, “Otherwise, it will be a direct attempt to restrict the freedom of communication and, one might even say, to directly intimidate the head of a large company.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to Sergey Naryshkin, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the West is highly unlikely to obtain any sensitive data from Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who was taken into custody by French authorities last week. In an interview with TASS on Tuesday, when asked if Moscow was worried about Durov potentially sharing secrets with the West, Naryshkin dismissed the idea, stating, “I really hope that he will not allow this.”
Durov was arrested at a Paris airport after arriving on a private plane from Azerbaijan on Saturday. French prosecutors have indicated that the Telegram CEO, who holds citizenship in France, Russia, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, was detained as part of a larger investigation into child pornography, drug sales, fraud, and other criminal activities connected to the platform. Additionally, he is under scrutiny for allegedly refusing to assist law enforcement agencies looking into cyber and financial crimes.
Telegram has responded to the potential charges by asserting that it is “absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” Meanwhile, various opinion leaders across the globe perceive the arrest as a suppression of free speech, suggesting that the U.S. may have played a role in the detention.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov remarked that the arrest was made “obviously on someone’s advice,” adding that those responsible for the decision were likely seeking access to Telegram’s encryption codes. He argued, “The French actions have proven that Telegram is indeed a resilient and popular network.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov labeled the suggestion that Telegram users might have to delete their message feeds following Durov’s arrest as “utter stupidity,” noting that senior Russian government officials do not utilize the platform for official purposes.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Durov’s arrest “is in no way a political decision,” reaffirming France's commitment to the principle of free speech. Nonetheless, Peskov indicated that the investigation could potentially take a political turn. He cautioned that any charges against Durov “require… a serious evidence base,” warning, “Otherwise, it will be a direct attempt to restrict the freedom of communication and, one might even say, to directly intimidate the head of a large company.”
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
