Vyacheslav Volodin, the Chairman of the Russian State Duma, claimed today that the United States is behind the arrest of Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging platform, in France. According to Volodin, the arrest, which occurred over the weekend, is part of a broader effort by the US to exert control over Telegram.

Durov, a Russian-born entrepreneur, was detained in France as part of an investigation into allegations including child pornography, drug trafficking, and illegal transactions on Telegram. Volodin accused the United States of using France to manipulate Telegram, though he provided no supporting evidence for his allegations.

"Telegram is one of the few major internet platforms not under US control," Volodin stated, suggesting that US President Joe Biden is seeking to gain control over Telegram ahead of the American presidential elections.

The White House has not yet commented on the arrest, and French President Emmanuel Macron has denied any political motivations behind it. Meanwhile, the Kremlin indicated that it has not yet reviewed the official French charges against Durov.

Telegram, which is based in Dubai and boasts about one billion users, is widely used in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states. The platform has become a crucial source of unfiltered information regarding the conflict in Ukraine, serving as a "virtual battlefield" for both Ukrainian and Russian officials.