Russia Tests Cutting Off Access to Global Web, and VPNs Can't Get Around It

[Cpvr]

Russia reportedly severed certain regions of the country from the global internet for a day, effectively isolating them, according to reports from European and Russian media outlets that were echoed by the US nonprofit Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and other Western sources. Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications authority, imposed the block on Dagestan, Chechnya, and Ingushetia—regions with predominantly Muslim populations—cutting off access to major foreign websites and apps like Google, YouTube, Telegram, and WhatsApp. Even the use of VPNs did not guarantee access in these areas, a local Russian news outlet reported.

 

Roskomsvoboda, a Russian digital rights NGO, told TechRadar that most VPNs failed during the shutdown, though some managed to bypass the block—exactly which ones, or how many, remain unclear. Russia has been increasingly targeting VPNs, with Apple aiding the country’s censorship efforts by removing VPN apps from its Russian App Store. Currently, 197 VPNs are blocked across Russia, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

 

These latest internet disruptions are part of Russia’s broader initiative to build a “sovereign internet” that it can fully control. This year alone, Russia has tested its ability to throttle sites like YouTube by drastically slowing internet speeds, rendering them nearly unusable. Moscow has invested $648 million into its national internet infrastructure and technology capable of enforcing such restrictions, a project seemingly underway since at least 2019.

 

Looking ahead, Russia could expand its restrictions to include services like Amazon Web Services (AWS), HostGator, and other foreign web hosts. The government may also mandate that Russian residents and businesses transition to using Russian-owned alternatives, solidifying its control over the internet. Separately, in September, platforms like Wix and Notion advised Russian users to discontinue their services due to US sanctions. In 2022, following its invasion of Ukraine, Western domain registrar GoDaddy condemned the conflict as “horrible,” stopped supporting Russian domains, discontinued its support for the ruble, and announced a $500,000 donation to aid Ukraine. These ongoing blocks and disruptions contribute to the emergence of a splinternet, where regions are increasingly isolated from each other’s digital landscapes.

 

source: Pcmag

 

what are your thoughts on this? Do you block Russia traffic from your website as well?