MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. The detention of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France is politically motivated, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said.

The official, who is also chairman of the United Russia party, made the statement at a meeting with participants of the special military operation, who are running as the party's candidates in various elections.

"Now it resembles political persecution of organizations and media businesses that one way or another work in the interests of the Russian Federation. Because we are present there and publish stuff there," he said

Medvedev said that such decisions will be in the spotlight and the Russian authorities should definitely keep an eye on this.

Durov was detained at the Le Bourget airport outside Paris on August 24. The next day his detention was extended to 96 hours. Prosecutor in Paris accuse him, among other things, of complicity in drug trafficking, crimes against children and fraud, essentially treating him as an associate of the people that commit these and other offenses using Telegram.

The Russian Embassy in France told TASS that it plans to protect Durov's rights and seek consular access to him, but "the French side has so far avoided engagement on this issue."