Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is baffled at French authorities for placing Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, under formal investigation.
Vladimir Putin, while attending an economic forum, said he sees their actions as them having “selective character”.
Durovs’ case springs up from allegations that the Telegram platform is being used to promote various illegal activities such as fraud, money laundering, and child pornography among others.
Despite these serious accusations, Durov’s attorney has characterized the actions as ‘absurd’
Putin reacted only to the fact that he met Durov several years ago, and after that there was no communication with him. This remark was made after the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov last month said he did not know whether such a meeting took place.
The case against Durov, which has become a hot topic in Russia, is fueled by Putin’s comments and adds to the tension that is brewing between Moscow and Paris.
