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Pavel Durov's detention

Macron backs decision to grant French citizenship to Telegram co-founder Durov

The French president added that he would continue to grant citizenship to those who deserve it

BELGRADE, August 30. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron said the earlier decision to grant French citizenship to co-founder of the Telegram messenger Pavel Durov was justified.

"We made this decision in 2018, and I think it is totally justified," he said at a joint news conference with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. "I think granting citizenship to outstanding businessmen, athletes and performers is a right thing to do."

According to Macron, Durov "has made the effort to learn the French language."

The French president added that he would continue to grant citizenship to those who deserve it.

Durov was detained in the Le Bourget airport on August 24. On the next day, his custody period was prolonged up to 96 hours. On August 28, his preliminary custody was over, the entrepreneur was delivered to a court, where the prosecutor charged Durov with six offences, which include complicity in administration of an online platform that enabled illegal transactions within, committed within a criminal group. The offense, according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office, is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros.

Conflict in Syria

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On April 15, 2013, two explosions, with 12 seconds in between, happened in Boston’s downtown, near the finish line of the traditional marathon

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Lavrov cautions against challenging Russia's resolve

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Twenty-eight people survive passenger plane crash in Kazakhstan — Emergencies Ministry

It is confirmed that two children were injured

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Sunken tankers violated seasonal maritime traffic restrictions — authority

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Damascus warns Iran against sowing chaos in Syria — foreign minister

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Russia says Su-35S fighter jets provide cover to Aerospace Forces in Kursk Region

Also, one aircraft used onboard weapons systems to detect enemy air defense sites, according to the ministry

Russia has no illusions that Ukraine conflict can be resolved easily — top diplomat

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Armenian premier says will skip CIS meeting in St. Petersburg due to COVID-19

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Ukrainian deserters abroad are hunted through Interpol — parliament member

"The percentage of those who have left their newly formed brigades is the highest," Ruslan Gorbenko said

Shopping mall in Russia’s North Caucasus city of Vladikavkaz catches fire after explosion

Regional head Sergey Menyailo said that the blast had killed a woman inside the building

Kremlin admits legal action over transfer of $1 bln from Russian assets to Ukraine

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Sandu regime may seize Moldavan power plant in Transnistria — Russian Foreign Ministry

Maria Zakharova noted that "under such a scenario, the Russian peacekeeping presence in the region will be jeopardized"