Russian Duma official advises against Telegram Premium subscriptions amid Durov legal proceedings

Andrei Svintsov, deputy chair of the State Duma's Information Policy Committee, has publicly discouraged Russians from maintaining paid Telegram subscriptions, citing the ongoing criminal case against founder Pavel Durov. The statement highlights internal contradictions, as Svintsov himself retains a personal subscription while warning that payments could be construed as funding an individual accused of facilitating terrorism.