Durov called the words about the "Russian asset" directed at him an insult

Pavel Durov, a businessman and founder of the Telegram messenger, said he was deeply offended when he was called a Russian asset. He announced this on May 27 during the Freedom Forum in Oslo.

"I'm Russian! And I'd rather die than become someone's asset. And I think that people who express such an opinion don't know much about my life path — about what I did before Telegram, what role VKontakte and Telegram played in protecting freedom of speech and privacy in Eastern Europe," Durov said.

He also noted that he does not know which other social network in Eastern Europe has applied so much effort to protect freedom of speech. According to Durov, Telegram gained popularity quickly enough and without advertising in countries where "privacy is under threat."

Earlier, on May 22, it was reported that Telegram's profit, according to the results of 2024, amounted to $540 million, despite Durov's criminal prosecution in France. For the first time, the company increased revenue fourfold, to $1.4 billion.