8 ms·

Durov don't operate from Russia and wasn't operating during those "blockings", so this theory does not hold up.

esperent 3y ago
Durov operates from the UAE which is a strong ally of Russia (despite them spending a lot of money to convince people otherwise). It's not like he emigrated to Europe or something.
- sofixa 3y ago
  Calling the UAE a Russian ally is a massive stretch. They're not allied with the US nor Russia, they're allied with their big neighbours, Saudi Arabia, and have good relationships with many important countries (US, Russia, India, etc.) but don't follow anyone's line (outside of Saudi Arabia and it cost them dearly in Yemen, so they probably don't anymore) near-automatically. Lots of Russians in the UAE, including running away from Putin's folly/conscription.
  - esperent 3y ago
    > Calling the UAE a Russian ally is a massive stretch. No, it is not. Of course they look out for themselves first. However, in this time of war and international sanctions they are one of the countries who are deepening their ties with Russia. They are spending a lot of money on PR to make it seem like they are on the side of the west, but in actual fact they have been profiting massively from Russia over the last few years. They may not be a military ally but they are certainly an economic ally of Russia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93United_Arab_Emirates_relations https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93United_Arab_E... > Even though Russia invaded Ukraine, business between the two countries strengthened and many Russian businessmen has flocked to Dubai to purchase properties and invest in the region. Trade between the two countries has doubled to $5 billion over the last three years and they are approximately 4,000 companies with Russian roots that are operating within the country.[8] > According to the leaked confidential US documents,[9] titled “Russia/UAE: Intelligence Relationship Deepening”, the Russian intelligence officials were engaged in strengthening their relations with the United Arab Emirates. The document stated that Russia had convinced the Emirates “to work together against US and UK intelligence agencies”. It also concluded that the UAE viewed it as an “opportunity” to diversify its partnerships, while the US was gradually parting ways from the Emirates. However, the UAE government had dismissed the accusations that they were maintaining close ties with Russian intelligence.[10]
    - marcinzm 3y ago
      Yes, that's what it means to not be on anyone's side, you take advantage of whomever is most desperate to make money from them (Russia right now). Then switch to doing the same from the other side if the tides change.
    - boeingUH60 3y ago
      They're looking out for themselves and have profited greatly from the Russian government's folly...good riddance. After all, every country including the US is out for their own interests; none of them are moral beacons. "Anyone who is not for us is against us" is sheer Western arrogance going back to the days of warmonger George Bush.
      - deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
- bandrami 3y ago
  Eh, the Emirates are more of a wild west than an ally of anybody; kind of like Switzerland back in the cold war. Honestly if there's a single foreign interest in charge it's the Lahore/Mumbai underworld.
karp773 3y ago
[flagged]
- duxup 3y ago
  > He knows that he can't hide from KGB anyways (see Litvinenko, Skripal, Lesin among others). If those are the examples then every app is potentially under such influence…
  - karp773 3y ago
    No comment.
  - Aerbil313 3y ago
    What did you thought? Ever heard PRISM? Snowden files?
    - duxup 3y ago
      Do you think that involved with telegram?
      - Aerbil313 3y ago
        No, this is just a general example.
- eitland 3y ago
  > In fact, he was and is, seen numerous times in Russia. Care to add some links?
  - dgroshev 3y ago
    Here are some links 2014 https://tjournal.ru/52954 https://tjournal.ru/52954 2015 https://m.sobaka.ru/city/city/35154 https://m.sobaka.ru/city/city/35154 2017 https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-telefon-peterburgskomu-blogeru-98966/ https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-tele... 2017, a story that confirms that Telegram was still being developed in Saint Petersburg, years after the "exile" https://vc.ru/flood/26634-telegraf-gram-rozenberg https://vc.ru/flood/26634-telegraf-gram-rozenberg
dgroshev 3y ago
Durov was seen in StPetersburg for years after the "exile" [1], and Telegram was being developed from exactly the same office it was before the "exile", one floor below Vkontakte. The story Durov tells is at the very least incomplete. [1]: here's Durov breaking someone's phone for making his photo in a shopping centre in 2017 https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-telefon-peterburgskomu-blogeru-98966/ https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-tele...

Durov operates from the UAE which is a strong ally of Russia (despite them spending a lot of money to convince people otherwise). It's not like he emigrated to Europe or something.

sofixa 3y ago
Calling the UAE a Russian ally is a massive stretch. They're not allied with the US nor Russia, they're allied with their big neighbours, Saudi Arabia, and have good relationships with many important countries (US, Russia, India, etc.) but don't follow anyone's line (outside of Saudi Arabia and it cost them dearly in Yemen, so they probably don't anymore) near-automatically. Lots of Russians in the UAE, including running away from Putin's folly/conscription.
- esperent 3y ago
  > Calling the UAE a Russian ally is a massive stretch. No, it is not. Of course they look out for themselves first. However, in this time of war and international sanctions they are one of the countries who are deepening their ties with Russia. They are spending a lot of money on PR to make it seem like they are on the side of the west, but in actual fact they have been profiting massively from Russia over the last few years. They may not be a military ally but they are certainly an economic ally of Russia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93United_Arab_Emirates_relations https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93United_Arab_E... > Even though Russia invaded Ukraine, business between the two countries strengthened and many Russian businessmen has flocked to Dubai to purchase properties and invest in the region. Trade between the two countries has doubled to $5 billion over the last three years and they are approximately 4,000 companies with Russian roots that are operating within the country.[8] > According to the leaked confidential US documents,[9] titled “Russia/UAE: Intelligence Relationship Deepening”, the Russian intelligence officials were engaged in strengthening their relations with the United Arab Emirates. The document stated that Russia had convinced the Emirates “to work together against US and UK intelligence agencies”. It also concluded that the UAE viewed it as an “opportunity” to diversify its partnerships, while the US was gradually parting ways from the Emirates. However, the UAE government had dismissed the accusations that they were maintaining close ties with Russian intelligence.[10]
  - marcinzm 3y ago
    Yes, that's what it means to not be on anyone's side, you take advantage of whomever is most desperate to make money from them (Russia right now). Then switch to doing the same from the other side if the tides change.
  - boeingUH60 3y ago
    They're looking out for themselves and have profited greatly from the Russian government's folly...good riddance. After all, every country including the US is out for their own interests; none of them are moral beacons. "Anyone who is not for us is against us" is sheer Western arrogance going back to the days of warmonger George Bush.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
bandrami 3y ago
Eh, the Emirates are more of a wild west than an ally of anybody; kind of like Switzerland back in the cold war. Honestly if there's a single foreign interest in charge it's the Lahore/Mumbai underworld.

karp773 3y ago

[flagged]

duxup 3y ago
> He knows that he can't hide from KGB anyways (see Litvinenko, Skripal, Lesin among others). If those are the examples then every app is potentially under such influence…
- karp773 3y ago
  No comment.
- Aerbil313 3y ago
  What did you thought? Ever heard PRISM? Snowden files?
  - duxup 3y ago
    Do you think that involved with telegram?
    - Aerbil313 3y ago
      No, this is just a general example.
eitland 3y ago
> In fact, he was and is, seen numerous times in Russia. Care to add some links?
- dgroshev 3y ago
  Here are some links 2014 https://tjournal.ru/52954 https://tjournal.ru/52954 2015 https://m.sobaka.ru/city/city/35154 https://m.sobaka.ru/city/city/35154 2017 https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-telefon-peterburgskomu-blogeru-98966/ https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-tele... 2017, a story that confirms that Telegram was still being developed in Saint Petersburg, years after the "exile" https://vc.ru/flood/26634-telegraf-gram-rozenberg https://vc.ru/flood/26634-telegraf-gram-rozenberg

dgroshev 3y ago

Durov was seen in StPetersburg for years after the "exile" [1], and Telegram was being developed from exactly the same office it was before the "exile", one floor below Vkontakte. The story Durov tells is at the very least incomplete. [1]: here's Durov breaking someone's phone for making his photo in a shopping centre in 2017 https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-telefon-peterburgskomu-blogeru-98966/ https://360tv.ru/news/proisshestviya/pavel-durov-razbil-tele...