Is it safe in Russia to buy Telegram Stars or Premium after Durov’s terrorist designation? Here’s what lawyers say.

Russia's Federal Security Service charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism for failing to remove channels allegedly used to coordinate attacks. Russia's financial watchdog designated him a terrorist and extremist. For Russian users, the pressing question: can they still legally buy Telegram Stars and Premium? Per Meduza, several Russian lawyers say yes—the designation freezes Durov's personal assets, not Telegram itself. Restrictions would apply only if Telegram were designated extremist, which it hasn't been. One lawyer offered a simple caveat: don't send money directly to Durov through the app. But another attorney warned that Durov's designation creates "substantial legal and financial risks" for platform transactions, leaving Russian users between official reassurance and genuine legal ambiguity.

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