Telegram case signals tougher Kremlin crackdown under the FSB: Report

President Vladimir Putin is increasingly relying on Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to preserve his grip on power, fueling growing unease among members of the country’s political elite who fear that the agency has become largely unchecked, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The terrorism charges against Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov are viewed by insiders as part of an expansion of the FSB’s authority amid the prolonged war in Ukraine.

The FSB has accused the platform of failing to remove channels, chats and bots allegedly used to coordinate terrorist attacks and sabotage.

According to the agency’s claims, Telegram continues to host accounts operated by Ukrainian intelligence services, terrorist organizations and extremist groups that are allegedly used to coordinate sabotage, terrorist attacks, mass killings and cyber fraud. It says the activity has led to casualties and billions of rubles in economic damage.

People close to the Kremlin said the FSB has steadily expanded its reach into politics, business and civil society while more moderate officials lose influence.

The shift follows rising domestic security concerns, including Ukrainian strikes inside Russia and a recent bombing in Moscow, alongside weakening public confidence in the Kremlin’s handling of the war.

Critics say the agency’s growing power has contributed to a wider crackdown on opposition figures, business leaders and researchers, with new laws further tightening restrictions on Russians living abroad.