Russia's largest e-book service has pulled a biography of Telegram founder Pavel Durov after he was added to the government's list of terrorists and extremists.

Litres, the largest e-book and audiobook service in Russia, has removed two volumes of the book "Durov’s Code" by Nikolay Kononov from its platform. The book profiles Pavel Durov, the founder of the social media platforms VKontakte and Telegram. The removal follows a series of actions taken against Durov by Russian entities after he was officially designated a terrorist by the state.

Official designation and corporate response

On July 30, Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service, known as Rosfinmonitoring, added Pavel Durov to its list of terrorists and extremists. This action occurred one day after the Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Durov of aiding terrorist activity, citing Telegram's failure to remove illegal content from its platform. Representatives for the Litres Group of Companies stated that the firm operates in accordance with Russian law.

Broader impact on Durov-related services

The removal of the biography is part of a wider trend involving Russian businesses distancing themselves from Durov. Various Russian marketplaces have begun pulling merchandise featuring his image. Additionally, the Moscow-based AltraVita clinic removed a promotional page for an IVF procedure that utilizes Durov’s donor sperm, although the clinic continues to offer the procedure itself.