PANews reported on August 26 that according to the Wall Street Journal, Russian officials "reacted angrily" to the arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov when he stepped off a private plane at Paris Le Bourget Airport on Saturday. The Russian Embassy in France issued a statement early on Sunday saying that the French authorities refused to cooperate with them in contacting Durov. The translation of the statement read: "After the news of P.V. Durov's arrest was released in the media, we immediately asked the French authorities to clarify the reasons and asked them to ensure the protection of his rights and provide consular access. But as of today, the French side has avoided contact on this matter. We are in contact with P.V. Durov's lawyer."
The outlet reported that some Russian officials described the arrest as an indirect act of hostility toward Russia. While some reports said Durov held dual French-Russian citizenship, other reports said he held dual French-UAE citizenship. While some news outlets said Durov could face 20 years in prison, that figure did not appear in initial French media reports. Following Durov's arrest, many prominent figures in the crypto industry expressed their support for him.
