Co-founder and chief executive of Telegram, Pavel Durov, has been charged by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) with allegedly facilitating terrorist activities through the social network platform. 

The security agency said on Wednesday that it issued an international arrest warrant for Mr Durov, alleging that Telegram failed to remove content linked to Ukrainian intelligence services, terrorist groups and extremist organisations.

Forty-six individuals, including minors were arrested by the FSB in connection with the alleged activities. 

The agency claimed that specific accounts were used to sabotage Russian security personnel and damage the country’s infrastructure. 

In 2018, Russia made an attempt to block Telegram due to a dispute over user data access, but the decision was later abandoned as the platform remained popular among Russians.

The country also recently restricted access to the app while promoting a state-backed alternative messaging platform MAX.  

Despite the restrictions, Telegram remains one of the most widely used platforms in Russia, with millions of users accessing it through virtual private networks (VPNs).

The company has yet to issue an official response to the fresh allegations, as the development comes just a day after representatives from the company were reportedly in contact over lifting the ban on the platform.

Telegram was co-founded by Mr Durov and his brother Nikolai Durov in 2013, after previously creating VKontakte, Russia’s largest social networking platform.

The platform was created solely for secure messaging ensuring speed, privacy and encrypted communication.