Russia's intelligence head 'hopes' Durov will resist French influence
According to Sergey Naryshkin, the CEO of Telegram is not expected to disclose any confidential information to the West following his arrest in France. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France last week does not pose a risk of him revealing sensitive Russian information, according to comments made by Sergey Naryshkin, the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service. Speaking to TASS, Naryshkin expressed confidence that Durov would not share any secrets with the West, stating, “I really hope that he will not allow this.”
Durov was detained by French police upon his arrival at a Paris airport from Azerbaijan. The French authorities are investigating him as part of a wider inquiry into various illegal activities purportedly facilitated through his messaging platform, including child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud. Durov, who holds multiple citizenships including those of France, Russia, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, is also scrutinized for allegedly failing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in their investigations of cyber and financial crimes.
Telegram has vocally contested the accusations, arguing that blaming a platform or its owner for misuses committed on it is illogical. The arrest has sparked international debate, with some seeing it as an infringement on freedom of speech, and rumors suggesting U.S. involvement in orchestrating the arrest.
Adding to the discussion, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hinted that the arrest was influenced by external advice aimed at obtaining access to Telegram's encryption codes. He praised the resilience and popularity of Telegram, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed fears that users must erase their chats, and emphasized that Telegram is not used for official government communications.
French President Emmanuel Macron defended the legality of the arrest, ensuring that it was not politically motivated and affirmed France's commitment to free speech. However, Peskov hinted that the situation might still politically escalate.
As the situation unfolds, any potential charges against Durov will need to be backed by substantial evidence. Lavrov cautioned that without strong evidence, the actions against Durov could be perceived as attempts to curtail communication freedoms and to intimidate a prominent business figure.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
Durov was detained by French police upon his arrival at a Paris airport from Azerbaijan. The French authorities are investigating him as part of a wider inquiry into various illegal activities purportedly facilitated through his messaging platform, including child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud. Durov, who holds multiple citizenships including those of France, Russia, the UAE, and St. Kitts and Nevis, is also scrutinized for allegedly failing to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in their investigations of cyber and financial crimes.
Telegram has vocally contested the accusations, arguing that blaming a platform or its owner for misuses committed on it is illogical. The arrest has sparked international debate, with some seeing it as an infringement on freedom of speech, and rumors suggesting U.S. involvement in orchestrating the arrest.
Adding to the discussion, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hinted that the arrest was influenced by external advice aimed at obtaining access to Telegram's encryption codes. He praised the resilience and popularity of Telegram, while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed fears that users must erase their chats, and emphasized that Telegram is not used for official government communications.
French President Emmanuel Macron defended the legality of the arrest, ensuring that it was not politically motivated and affirmed France's commitment to free speech. However, Peskov hinted that the situation might still politically escalate.
As the situation unfolds, any potential charges against Durov will need to be backed by substantial evidence. Lavrov cautioned that without strong evidence, the actions against Durov could be perceived as attempts to curtail communication freedoms and to intimidate a prominent business figure.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
