A high-level Russian analyst makes the case that Durov’s arrest is connected with “anti-French protests in its former colonies, withdrawal from its traditional ‘sphere of influence’ where Telegram infrastructure was used to push anti-colonial and anti-Macronist narratives”.
Durov though got drunk on NATOstan’s “freedom and democracy” propaganda, rebuffed Russia, and left.
And that brings us to President Putin.
There’s one thing that Putin never tolerates: betrayal of Russia.
Durov became a French citizen only 3 years ago – significantly, before the launch of the SMO – via a special “eminent foreigner” program set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nikolai Durov, Pavels’ ultra-discreet brother, is the prime genius architect of Telegram: math master, two PhDs, gold medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad. The French would rather cut a deal – thus the extended interrogation: but that would imply breaking Pavel so he would influence Nikolai to hand over those fabled keys.