Russian Military Blogger Panics after Pavel Durov Arrested: Must Find Alternative to Telegram

HOLIDAY NEWS - Russian military bloggers panicked after Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested at Paris airport on Saturday (24/8/2024) evening.

Newsweek reported that when news emerged about Durov's arrest, military analysts and bloggers took to Telegram, discussing what the future of the conflict in Ukraine would be like without the application. This furore highlights that Telegram is an important means of communication used by Russian soldiers. It was previously reported that Pavel Durov (39), who holds dual French and Russian citizenship, was arrested as part of an investigation in which Telegram was allegedly used for fraud, drug trafficking, money laundering and other offences, French media reported.

Telegram, which launched in 2013, issued a statement late Sunday saying Durov had nothing to hide and that the company was complying with all European Union laws. "It is unreasonable to claim that a platform or its owners are responsible for misuse of the platform," Telegram said in its statement.

Responding to the news, Russian journalist Alexander Sladkov said the Russian military conducts half of its communications via the Telegram app, and said alternatives should be created immediately.

Pavel Durov (Instagram @durov)

"Pavel Durov was arrested. This attack on the owner of [Telegram], which held half of the communications in [the war], was expected. Now we need to urgently create Russian military messaging," he wrote.

"Well, wasn't it possible to think of this before?! Why does the Wagner Group have such messaging, but our great Russian armed forces don't!?!?" Sladkov said, referring to the Russian paramilitary group led by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin. "And no one should be punished. Or maybe we shouldn't look for the guilty? The Russian punishment is reckless. And this is a nightmare."

Russian military blogger Alexei Sukonkin said Durov's arrest raised a number of problems that needed to be addressed immediately. "Because: Telegram is currently the basis of military communications," he wrote.

"From now on, all this is threatened. Isn't this the main tragedy of August?"

The Russian Telegram channel “Rybar”, founded by Mikhail Zvinchuk, a former employee of the Russian Ministry of Defense, also stated that Telegram has now become the main means of controlling units in the Ukrainian war zone.

"It would be both sad and hilarious if the trigger for a change in the approach to communications and control in the [Russian] armed forces was the arrest of Pavel Durov," the channel said.

"And not a purely military problem that has been accumulating for two years, to which the relevant departments somehow prefer to turn a blind eye."

Meanwhile, a Russian newspaper published Monday (26/8/2024) also focused on Telegram's future, running an article asking: "If Telegram breaks down, how will our soldiers fight?"

There is also a suspicion that Telegram may be a NATO tool.

Kremlin response

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the matter during a press briefing on Monday, state news agency Tass reported.

"We don't yet know what exactly Durov is accused of. We haven't heard any official statement on this matter," Peskov said.

"Without this, it would be wrong to make a statement."

The Telegram boss remains in French police custody, the prosecutor's office said

Meanwhile, in the latest development, Telegram boss Pavel Durov will remain in police custody for up to another 48 hours, Paris prosecutors said on Tuesday, reported by Reuters.

Durov's detention period was decided to be extended on Monday evening.

Blogger Militer Rusia Panik setelah Pavel Durov Ditangkap: Harus Cari Alternatif Telegram

HOLIDAY NEWS - Para blogger militer Rusia panik setelah Pavel Durov, miliarder pendiri sekaligus CEO aplikasi perpesanan Telegram, ditangkap di bandara Paris pada Sabtu (24/8/2024) malam.

Dilaporkan Newsweek, ketika muncul berita tentang penangkapan Durov, para analis dan blogger militer meramaikan Telegram, membahas bagaimana masa depan konflik di Ukraina bila tanpa aplikasi tersebut.

Kehebohan ini menyoroti bahwa Telegram adalah sarana komunikasi penting yang digunakan oleh tentara Rusia.

Dilaporkan sebelumnya, Pavel Durov (39), yang berkewarganegaraan ganda Prancis dan Rusia, ditangkap sebagai bagian dari penyelidikan di mana Telegram diduga digunakan untuk penipuan, perdagangan narkoba, pencucian uang, dan pelanggaran lainnya, demikian dilaporkan media Prancis.

Telegram, yang diluncurkan pada 2013, mengeluarkan pernyataan pada Minggu malam yang mengatakan, Durov tidak menyembunyikan apapun dan perusahaan tersebut mematuhi semua hukum Uni Eropa.

"Tidak masuk akal untuk mengklaim bahwa suatu platform atau pemiliknya bertanggung jawab atas penyalahgunaan platform tersebut," kata Telegram dalam pernyataannya.

Menanggapi berita tersebut, jurnalis Rusia Alexander Sladkov mengatakan, militer Rusia melakukan setengah dari komunikasinya melalui aplikasi Telegram, dan mengatakan bahwa alternatif harus dibuat segera.

"Pavel Durov ditangkap. Serangan terhadap pemilik [Telegram] ini, yang menyimpan setengah dari komunikasi dalam [perang], sudah diperkirakan. Sekarang kita perlu segera membuat perpesanan militer Rusia," tulisnya.

"Yah, tidak mungkinkah untuk memikirkan ini sebelumnya?! Mengapa Grup Wagner memiliki perpesanan seperti itu, tetapi angkatan bersenjata Rusia kita yang hebat tidak!?!?" kata Sladkov, mengacu pada kelompok paramiliter Rusia yang dipimpin oleh mendiang Yevgeny Prigozhin.

"Dan tidak ada yang harus dihukum. Atau mungkin kita tidak perlu mencari yang bersalah? Hukuman Rusia adalah kecerobohan. Dan ini adalah mimpi buruk."

Blogger militer Rusia Alexei Sukonkin mengatakan penangkapan Durov menimbulkan sejumlah masalah yang perlu segera ditangani.

"Karena: Telegram saat ini menjadi basis komunikasi militer," tulisnya.

"Sejak saat ini, semua ini terancam. Bukankah ini tragedi utama bulan Agustus?"

Saluran Telegram Rusia "Rybar", yang didirikan oleh Mikhail Zvinchuk, mantan pegawai Kementerian Pertahanan Rusia, juga menyatakan bahwa Telegram kini telah menjadi sarana utama untuk mengendalikan unit di zona perang Ukraina.

"Akan sangat menyedihkan dan sekaligus lucu jika pemicu perubahan pendekatan komunikasi dan kontrol di angkatan bersenjata [Rusia] adalah penangkapan Pavel Durov," kata saluran tersebut.

"Dan bukan masalah militer semata yang telah terakumulasi selama dua tahun, yang entah mengapa departemen terkait lebih suka menutup mata."

Sementara itu, surat kabar Rusia yang terbit hari Senin (26/8/2024) juga berfokus pada masa depan Telegram, dengan memuat artikel yang menanyakan: "Jika Telegram mogok, bagaimana tentara kita akan bertempur?"

Ada pula sebuah kecurigaan bahwa Telegram mungkin menjadi alat NATO.

Respons Kremlin

Sekretaris pers Kremlin Dmitry Peskov menolak mengomentari masalah tersebut selama jumpa pers pada hari Senin, kantor berita pemerintah Tass melaporkan.

"Kami belum tahu apa sebenarnya yang dituduhkan kepada Durov. Kami belum mendengar pernyataan resmi apa pun tentang masalah ini," kata Peskov.

"Tanpa ini, akan salah jika membuat pernyataan."

Bos Telegram masih berada dalam tahanan polisi Prancis, kata kantor kejaksaan

Sementara itu, dalam perkembangan terbaru, Bos Telegram Pavel Durov akan tetap berada dalam tahanan polisi hingga 48 jam lagi, kata jaksa Paris pada hari Selasa, diansir Reuters.

Masa penahahan Durov diputuskan untuk diperpanjang pada Senin malam.