Biography Reveals Pavel Durov's Rise, Libertarian Ideals, and Controversies
The Populist traces Pavel Durov's rise from a St. Petersburg schoolboy science prodigy to the founder of VKontakte and Telegram, drawing on 14 years of research including conversations with Durov and his colleagues.
The book portrays Durov as a digital populist who communicates directly with hundreds of millions of users, bypassing traditional institutions and media. Telegram is described as a platform built on ultra-libertarian ideals, used by a broad spectrum of users including dissidents, extremists, scammers, and war propagandists.
Durov publicly espouses libertarian and pro free expression stances, though the biography reveals his management style to be centralized, with most product and marketing decisions made by himself. Kononov notes that Durov's worldview aligns with ultra-libertarian, anti-institutional right-wing currents and sometimes expresses misogynistic and conspiratorial tendencies.
A notable 2014 meeting with Vladimir Putin ended with a reprimand over illegal content on VKontakte, prompting Durov to sell his stake, leave Russia, and eventually relocate to Dubai to found Telegram.
Durov holds French citizenship and was detained for three days in France in August of the previous year during an investigation into crimes linked to Telegram, including child sexual abuse imagery, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions. This experience reportedly intensified his hostility toward authorities.
Kononov states there is no evidence that Durov has worked with or for the Russian state, but the book argues he makes compromises with authorities to ensure Telegram's continued operation.
The biography also highlights Durov's personal lifestyle and health interests, including abstaining from alcohol and drugs, promoting longevity science and pronatalism, and claims of fathering dozens of children via sperm donation. Additionally, it notes his tendency to share health tips and shirtless photos publicly.
