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Celebrated Russian Hacker Now In Exile

Posted by Soulskill on from the hoping-the-next-leap-will-be-the-leap-home dept.

An anonymous reader writes: VKontakte is a Russian social network, more popular there than even Facebook. Its founder, Pavel Durov, was a celebrity for his entrepreneurial skills, much like Mark Zuckerberg elsewhere. But as Russia has cracked down on internet freedoms, 30-year-old Durov had to relinquish control of the social network. He eventually fled the country when the government pressured him to release data on Ukrainian protest leaders. He's now a sort of roving hacker, showing up where he's welcome and not staying too long. "Mr. Durov, known for his subversive wit and an all-black wardrobe that evokes Neo from the Matrix movies, is now a little-seen nomad, moving from country to country every few weeks with a small band of computer programmers. One day he is in Paris, another in Singapore." Durov said, "I'm very happy right now without any property anywhere. I consider myself a legal citizen of the world."

7 of 130 comments (clear)

  1. Snowden revenge? by dskoll · · Score: 5, Funny

    With Putin giving the US a black eye by harbouring Edward Snowden, maybe this guy will find sanctuary in the US? :)

    1. Re:Snowden revenge? by jfdavis668 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Maybe Edward can rent him his house, he won't be using it any time soon.

    2. Re:Snowden revenge? by flyingsquid · · Score: 5, Funny

      Or maybe both of them can go into exile together in a third country. And Julian Assange can go there too. And they'll share an apartment together. It'd make a great sitcom. "Three hacker dissidents exiled from their native countries... now they're all living in one house! See what kind of wacky adventures they get into!"

  2. A Ukrainian joke by mi · · Score: 3, Funny

    One Ukrainian says to another:

    • Hey, whatever you say about the rest of them, I still know one good Russian...
    • Who?!
    • Gérard Depardieu!
    --
    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    1. Re:A Ukrainian joke by SLot · · Score: 4, Funny

      A better joke:

      Two Ukranian men are sitting in Odesa, discussing what is going on in Ukraine over a drink.

      Man 1: I stopped speaking Russian.
      Man 2: Why? Afraid the Ukranians will beat you?
      Man 1: No, that Russians will come to protect me.

    2. Re:A Ukrainian joke by SLot · · Score: 5, Funny

      Haha, touche! Half of me wants very much to see my friends in kyiv, dnepropetrovsk & lviv, but the other half says wait a little while longer....

      also: What do Putin, oil and the ruble have in common? They all hit 63 next year. ;)

  3. Re:Commie Critter On The Lam? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Run?

    He's in Exile living well. I've thought of going there but plane fare is expensive to Exile and there's this long layover in Timbuktu.

    It's even harder when you are on a Lamb. The TSA won't let you through security on the Lamb and let's not get into bording the plane.