Telegram app agrees to Russian registration, but not to share private data

Pavel Durov, founder of the Telegram messaging app, agreed on Wednesday for his firm to be registered in Russia after coming under pressure from the authorities to do so, but said Telegram would not share confidential user data with anyone.

Durov spoke out after Russia's FSB security service said terrorists had used his app to carry out a deadly suicide bombing on Russian soil and after the communications regulator said it would block Telegram unless it obtained information needed to put the app on an official government list of information distributors.

Once on the list, Telegram would have to store information about its users on Russian servers and hand over user information to the authorities on request.

Durov, writing on social media, said on Wednesday that while he was happy for Telegram to be formally registered in Russia and to supply basic information about the company, he would not do anything to violate the app users' privacy.

"We won't comply with laws that are incompatible with Telegram's confidentiality policy or protecting people's private lives," wrote Durov.