The official spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, described the European citizenship of Telegram founder Pavel Durov not as a shield, but as a sharpened risk for him. This perspective is shared through the agency RT. [RT]
Zakharova emphasized that Russia is prepared to mobilize all available means to protect a Russian citizen, even as French authorities view Durov as a French national. The diplomat underscored that the Russian Federation will not abandon its sovereignty and will act decisively no matter what unfolds. [RT]
In her remarks, Zakharova also recalled President Vladimir Putin’s warnings to Russian citizens about liberal regimes and cautions against locating business assets in NATO countries. The statement framed the issue as one of strategic asset protection and national interest. [RIA Novosti]
On August 24, Durov was detained at Paris Le Bourget Airport. Authorities cited encrypted communications within the Telegram app as the core accusation, raising the possibility of a lengthy prison term for the entrepreneur, potentially up to two decades. [Le Figaro / French authorities]
Zakharova indicated that Russia had dispatched a formal note to Paris seeking access to Durov for legal purposes. However, she asserted that Paris treats the founder’s supposed French citizenship as his de facto citizenship. [TASS]
Anton Gorelkin, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, asserted that the United States played a role in Durov’s arrest, pointing to broader geopolitical dynamics behind the case. [Interfax]
Previously, Medvedev referenced President Macron, implying that the French leadership would depart France before the so-called “Durov army” reached him, a colorful phrasing reflecting the tense rhetoric surrounding the incident. [Reuters]