ERKKI KOORT ⟩ Telegram CEO may have engineered his own arrest

It is strange that the platform created by Pavel Durov was considered secure, and people did not seem to be bothered by the likelihood that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) had access to it. Photo: Taidgh Barron

• The CEO of Telegram was arrested, possibly because he wanted it that way.
• Russians had control over Telegram.
• Telegram was never a safe haven for the opposition.

The arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in Paris has sparked intense debate. This incident has led to panic, half-truths, and even falsehoods, writes Erkki Koort, security expert at Postimees and the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences.

There are two confusing myths surrounding Pavel Durov and his Telegram platform. Firstly, Durov is often portrayed as a supporter of the Russian opposition and a defender of free speech. Secondly, there is the notion that his arrest will now allow the French authorities access to encrypted messages.

On Sunday, Durov's plane was detained in France after arriving from Azerbaijan. Allegedly, Durov had planned a meeting in Baku with Russian ruler Putin, who was on a state visit. The Kremlin denied that this meeting took place. Following this, the creator of Telegram and VKontakte flew to France, knowing that he was a wanted man. Russia reacted to his detention with great sensitivity. A strange coincidence. It is possible that Moscow did not realize Durov's value until now. It is also possible that this was his goal or a miscalculation.

A safe haven for the opposition?

Durov has been highlighted as supposedly supporting the Russian opposition or as a means to undermine autocratic regimes. This undermining occurred as long as the authorities did not intervene. Simultaneously, the platform was used for child pornography, as well as arms, drug and human trafficking. The reason was not a stand for freedom, but rather a lack of interest in monitoring content. However, under sufficient external pressure, this changed.

Durov, the founder of Telegram, is often seen as a defender of the opposition and free speech. His background and actions do not support this view, however. Photo: Albert Gea

Durov claimed that he sold his previous platform, VKontakte, due to pressure from the FSB, related to the events in Ukraine in 2014. He reportedly refused to block or share information about people protesting against then-president Viktor Yanukovych. However, by selling the platform, he still facilitated the FSB's access to the data and messages of those who fought in the Maidan Uprising.

In March 2022, a Brazilian Supreme Court justice decided to block access to Telegram across the entire country. It was one of the favorite platforms of then-president Jair Bolsonaro for mobilizing his voters ahead of the October 2022 elections. According to the Supreme Court, the company repeatedly refused to comply with the decisions and demands of the police, the electoral court, and the Supreme Court itself.

Reportedly, this included an investigation into complaints against the Bolsonaro administration concerning the use of official communication channels to spread misinformation.

Three days later, Telegram's operations were restored after the company was deemed to have complied with the Supreme Court's requirements.

During the 2021 elections, Alexei Navalny sharply criticized Telegram's leader, calling him a disappointing coward.

Wives of men fighting in the Ukraine war created a Telegram channel called «The Road Home» («Путь домой»), to communicate with one another and voice their demands to the government. While Telegram’s owner, Pavel Durov, did not dare to shut down the channel, he still aided the authorities. Telegram labeled the channel as «fake», making it difficult to find through regular searches. As a result, the content could not be shared with other channels, text could not be copied, and photos could not be shared.

Telegram also played a role in the 2021 Russian State Duma elections. Its creator and leader, Pavel Durov, backtracked on his earlier promise not to succumb to government pressure.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny developed a web application that, according to him, allowed for smart voting.

The issue came to a head when Apple, Google, and Facebook removed Navalny's app. Durov repeatedly emphasized on social media that, unlike these companies, Telegram respects its users and stands for free speech. Durov called this move a dangerous precedent.

When the Kremlin wanted to remove Navalny's smart voting apps from Telegram, they disappeared quickly. Alexei Navalny harshly criticized Telegram's leader, calling him a disappointing coward.

A legend of security

These are just a few examples of the cases associated with Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, but there are more similar instances.

For some inexplicable reason, there is a legend that Telegram is somehow more secure than other messaging apps. This belief likely stems from the fact that encryption supposedly does not occur on the app's servers but on the user's phone. At least, that is the claim.

It is quite surprising how many people were disturbed by the arrest. The idea that France will now have access to all messages has a strong element of fantasy. Firstly, major powers have likely already decrypted it long ago. This is hinted at in a post by former US NSA employee Edward Snowden, who fled the United States in 2013.

Secondly, it is strange that some seem more bothered by the theoretical possibility of Western countries accessing Telegram than by the knowledge that the FSB already has such access. It is certain that the FSB had access to Telegram; otherwise, Durov would not have been able to visit Russia repeatedly. Thirdly, it is naive to think that Durov carries around some cryptographic key that interrogators could somehow take from him. Fourthly, Russia accuses Paris of things it would certainly do itself, although the rule of law framework prevents this.

There is plenty in this story that still remains murky. Reportedly, Russian military and security personnel have been ordered to delete all data. This is strange because, according to Snowden, the Russians should have been aware of the NSA's access to this content. While encryption was likely changed based on Snowden's information, there was no guarantee of its invulnerability.

Pavel Durov's trip to France seems very odd, and Russia's painful reaction is even more peculiar. Durov certainly knows things that Russia does not want falling into Western intelligence's hands, but there is no need to jail anyone to share such information. It currently seems that Durov took this step consciously, calculating the options he has and the information he holds. He alone knows how much he intends to reveal.