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Telegram CEO faces fine after illegally swimming in a lake in Kazakhstan

Published: 14 Oct. 2025, 15:09

A video of Pavel Durov, the Russian founder and CEO of the messaging platform Telegram, swimming in a lake inside a national park in Kazakhstan [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Pavel Durov, the Russian founder and CEO of the messaging platform Telegram, is facing a fine after posting a video of himself swimming in a lake inside a national park in Kazakhstan.

Durov visited Kazakhstan earlier this month to attend the Digital Bridge 2025 forum held in the Kazakh capital Astana, according to Kyrgyz news outlet the Times of Central Asia (TCA) on Tuesday.

During the visit, Durov uploaded a video to Telegram showing himself swimming in Lake Kolsai, which is inside a national park in the southern Almaty region.

After the video spread online, internet users pointed out that both swimming and fishing in the lake are banned.

Under Kazakh law, violators face a fine of up to $72. The TCA reported that Kazakh authorities confirmed they had launched an official investigation into Durov's actions.

As criticism grew, Durov posted another video on Telegram to explain what had happened.

In the second video, Durov is seen holding a metal rod. He said he entered the lake after spotting an object stuck in the lake bed and wanted to retrieve it to help clean the water.

Lake Kolsai, located in the eastern grasslands of Kazakhstan near the Tianshan Mountains, is known for its scenic beauty and is a popular destination among locals. The mountain range borders China and Kyrgyzstan.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]