Russia wants to arrest the creator of Telegram. The reason: a dating bot

Russia says it has put Telegram founder Pavel Durov on an international wanted list over a Telegram dating bot called Daivinchik.

The FSB claims the bot was used in sabotage, phishing, and extortion tied to operations linked to Ukraine, and accuses Telegram of failing to remove it.

Telegram has not commented, and Durov does not appear in public Interpol or Russian Interior Ministry databases.

The case highlights Moscow’s pressure on messaging platforms and its push for state-backed alternatives like MAX.