The technology news site has dropped the name of Telegram founder Pavel Durov from its title following his addition to Russia's list of terrorists and extremists.
Key facts
- •The outlet Kod Durova has officially changed its name to Kod.ru.
- •The FSB accused Pavel Durov of aiding terrorism on July 29.
- •Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service added Durov to its list of terrorists and extremists on July 30.
- •The publication stated it will continue to cover Telegram and other projects associated with Durov.
- •Retailers and clinics in Russia have begun removing books and services linked to the Telegram founder.
The Russian technology outlet Kod Durova has officially rebranded as Kod.ru. The publication announced the name change on its website and social media, stating that keeping the founder's name in the title had become misleading for readers.
Reasons for the Rebranding
The editors explained that the name Kod Durova created false associations and that Pavel Durov has no personal involvement with the outlet. While the publication acknowledged that recent events accelerated the decision, they noted that a project of this scale required significant preparation. The outlet confirmed it will continue to report on Durov’s projects, including Telegram.
Context of Recent Developments
The rebranding follows actions taken by Russian authorities against the Telegram founder. On July 29, the FSB accused Durov of aiding terrorism, and on July 30, the Federal Financial Monitoring Service added him to its list of terrorists and extremists. Following these designations, some Russian retailers removed merchandise related to Durov, and a Moscow clinic, AltraVita, hid a webpage offering IVF procedures using his donor sperm.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Meduza (English).
