Pavel Durov Outputs His Philosophy That GOATs Do Not Worry.
January 13, 2026
The creator behind the anonymous messaging service Telegram Pavel Durov was charged in 2024 with allegations of drug trafficking, child pornography, organized fraud, and money laundering. Durov is a private individual. He left Russia in 2014 to preserve his freedom of expressive. He provided Le Point with an exclusive interview: “Pavel Durov On His Arrest In France, Macron, Russia, The FBI — And The Fight For Telegram.”
When he was questioned about bad actors using Telegram for nefarious purposes, Durov said that doesn’t make him or his associates who run the platform criminals. He also asserts that the allegations won’t stick, that the French police didn’t correctly follow international procedures, and Telegram how to show them how to proceed.
Durov was questioned if he had any ties with Russia and was close with Putin. He claims that he only met Putin once when he was head of the Russian version of Facebook. He was told that he had to comply with Russian authorities or face the consequences. Durov also denies that he works with Russian authorities and that he only travels to Russia to visit his family.
After sharing his opinion about the current state of technology, Donald Trump, and the world at large. Durov was asked about his competitors. He said that WhatsApp copies everything Telegram does, that Zuckerberg needs more imagination (despite having a large amount of respect for him), and he admires Signal messaging.
He’s had many offers to buy Telegram, including Google which offered him $1 billion. He declines and states:
“It’s not a question of price, Telegram is simply not for sale.”
He continued that he’s still Telegram’s sole shareholder, because he wants to guarantee Telegram’s independence. He doesn’t want to lose control and thusly freedom.
Durov also detailed that he doesn’t have any regrets about Telegram’s development. He keeps a small “core” team of fifty people based in Dubai, because small teams move faster. His brother Nikolai, whom he describes as a genius with two Ph.D.s, is experimenting with AI. Surprisingly he suggests Nikolai no longer works on Telegram with Durov. When queried about what AI will do for the future and jobs, he said.
“We are experiencing unprecedented technological acceleration. For a teenager, adapting is natural. But for experienced professionals, like lawyers or doctors who earn high salaries, the transition will be brutal. Their perceived value in the market could diminish, even if they are excellent. Yes, jobs will disappear. But history shows that others will appear. What matters is the wealth created. Living like a king without having to work like a slave is a form of progress. And as long as we want to create, to bring something to society, there will be a place for everyone.”
Telegram is also money pit. That’s true. The firm’s most recent financial report reveals a loss of more than $220 million US dollars in 2025. But Pavel Durov is a GOAT, or, rather, the greatest of all time in Russia. This is similar to Google’s pronouncements about its role in today’s world. However, Pavel Durov is heading to trial in France for a line up of charges related to some interesting crimes. Is he worried? Nah. GOATs don’t worry.
Whitney Grace, January 13, 2026
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