VIDEO: Putin Comments on Pavel Durov's Arrest

Putin has commented for the first time on Pavel Durov's arrest, stating that he met the Telegram founder only once years ago in Moscow. The Russian president noted that Durov discussed his business development plans during their meeting.

He emphasized that Russian authorities have never had any complaints against Durov, unlike authorities in other countries. “Considering that the platform is used in certain ways by structures that can harm the economy or the security sector, the Russian government could also have questions,” the Russian leader added. “Its platform is utilized by individuals who can jeopardize security, and thus all platforms of this kind share the blame.”

Vladimir Putin also remarked that the actions of the French authorities are incomprehensible and selective in nature. “If they treat Durov this way, others should be held accountable as well,” he concluded.