Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

REVEALED: Roskomnadzor - The Real Truth

'The largest in history:' Russia blocks over 20 popular VPNs in major internet crackdown

Russian users are facing severe internet disruptions as a new wave of government blocks targets over 20 popular VPN services, in what activists are calling the largest attack on digital freedom to date.

Russians need a VPN to access Google and Apple as unexplained nationwide outages hit

Russians need a VPN to access Google and Apple as unexplained nationwide outages hit

Russian internet users awoke to broken connections across Google, Apple, and GitHub websites. While state censors deny involvement, the outages highlight why VPNs are more crucial than ever.

Amnezia VPN restores premium service in Russia following devastating state-sponsored cyberattack

Amnezia VPN restores premium service in Russia following devastating state-sponsored cyberattack

Amnezia VPN has successfully restored its Premium service in Russia following a massive, multi-pronged attack by the state censor Roskomnadzor that knocked out 90% of its local servers in June.

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

inkl

Amnezia VPN restores 20 Premium server locations and compensates users following cyberattacks

AmneziaVPN Premium users finally have their 20 server locations back online! Plus, the provider is rolling out compensation following a chaotic few weeks of cyberattacks. Here is everything we know so far.

Two phones and an app: How Russians skirt Putin's digital iron curtain

Since the Kremlin ratcheted up control over the internet this year, Russians have been turning to increasingly convoluted technical solutions to circumvent state monitoring and restrictions on popular foreign apps like Meta Platforms' WhatsApp and the Telegram messenger.

The Economic Times

'This is an important release' — Amnezia VPN strengthens its apps to fight Russia's new approach to VPN blocking in latest update

"We have no intention of giving in to the difficulties," said Amnezia's founder, as the team fixed a bug in its latest update to thwart the newest censorship methods allegedly adopted by Russia's media regulator Roskomnadzor.

Major Russian mobile provider Beeline launches 'whitelist VPN' for Netflix and Spotify

Russian telecom giant Beeline has introduced a built-in "whitelist VPN," granting users direct access to Western streaming and gaming platforms that suspended their operations in the country.

inkl

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

Russia’s solution to its VPN crackdown breaking the internet? A state-owned VPN

Russia’s solution to its VPN crackdown breaking the internet? A state-owned VPN

Russia's internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, has a unique solution for the problems caused by its own VPN crackdown: creating a state-controlled VPN. The plan is meant to restore access to vital developer tools, but the IT community fears it could become a tool for surveillance.

Russian Roskomnadzor accused of launching active DDoS attacks on VPN services — here's what we know so far

Russian Roskomnadzor accused of launching active DDoS attacks on VPN services — here's what we know so far

Russia's media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has allegedly shifted from blocking VPNs to actively launching DDoS attacks against their infrastructure, leaving services like Amnezia VPN struggling to stay online.

'The situation isn’t looking good' — Russia halts VPN fees, but the Kremlin's war against censorship circumvention tools doubles down

'The situation isn’t looking good' — Russia halts VPN fees, but the Kremlin's war against censorship circumvention tools doubles down

A new major wave of VPN blocks has left residents with very few means of going back online. Here's all we know.

Russia orders Apple and Google to remove Important Stories, an investigative media app that works without a VPN — leaving Russians without a key source for accessing uncensored news

Russia orders Apple and Google to remove Important Stories, an investigative media app that works without a VPN — leaving Russians without a key source for accessing uncensored news

Important Stories launched the IStories mobile app in February to make sure information would reach Russians despite widespread internet censorship and VPN restrictions.

'VPNs have adapted': How BlancVPN and VPN Liberty are dodging Russia's VPN blocking technology to allow Russians access to Telegram without losing everyday services

'VPNs have adapted': How BlancVPN and VPN Liberty are dodging Russia's VPN blocking technology to allow Russians access to Telegram without losing everyday services

While the Kremlin's fight against VPN usage reached new heights, the tech seems to keep outsmarting the politics — for now, at least. And these are the best performing VPNs in Russia right now.

Russian censors target Google in VPN takedown push

Russian censors target Google in VPN takedown push

As Russia doubles down against VPN usage, Google seems to be resisting removal requests so far, despite a popular app, ZoogVPN, having reportedly been removed from Google Play. Here's all we know.

Russia's internet crackdown leads to a spring of growing discontent

Russia's internet crackdown leads to a spring of growing discontent

Anger and frustration is growing in Russia over government restrictions on the internet that have disrupted daily life, hurt businesses and brought condemnation from both Kremlin critics and supporters alike

The Independent UK

Get all your
news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One news app.

'Switch to MAX, by any means necessary' — Inside Russia’s great internet crackdown

After censoring the internet for years, the Kremlin is now pushing citizens to the state-controlled MAX by further targeting VPN usage. But the disconnect over the Telegram shutdown could be the needed turning point.

Russia moves to 'reduce VPN usage' with new blocking, fines and fees

As residents flock to VPNs to keep using Telegram, Russia's Ministry of Digital Development announced new plans to curb VPN use. Here's all we know.

Apple removes custom VPN clients from Russian App Store amid Telegram crackdown

After blocking Telegram, Russian authorities are now restricting access to custom proxy and VPN apps on Apple's App Store.

The Independent UK

Russia thwarts protests over the blocking of a popular messaging app, but frustration persists

Authorities in nearly a dozen regions across Russian have refused to authorize protests in recent weeks over internet censorship and the blocking of Telegram, a popular messaging app

Get all your
news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One news app.

Telegram shutdown begins in Russia — here's everything we know

Russian Telegram users have been reporting struggles to use the app since the weekend, ahead of the full blockage expected in April. VPNs seem to be working — but this may soon change.

Russia opens criminal case against Telegram's Durov for 'promoting terrorism,' reports say

Russia has opened a terrorism-related criminal case against Telegram founder Pavel Durov amid new blocks on the app and a push for a state-controlled alternative, according to Russian state media reports.

Telegram might be fully blocked in Russia. Question is, when will it happen?

Russian authorities are denying media reports of plans to fully block Telegram from 1 April, noting that no decisions have been made on the matter yet. For many Russians, this sounds like an indirect confirmation of further digital isolation and stricter Internet censorship.

Russia is using DNS and DPI to block YouTube, Telegram and WhatsApp while pushing state-controlled MAX as alternative

Russia has completely blocked access to Telegram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Citizens keep looking for ways around, but VPNs are also being targeted.

Telegram CEO condemns new restrictions in Russia as citizens turn to VPNs to bypass the blocks

Russia begins disrupting access to Telegram, but users are fighting back. Find out why VPN demand is spiking and what it means for the future of Russian internet censorship.

Russia restricts Telegram over alleged law breaches as it supports state-backed rival

Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor said it would "continue to introduce phased restrictions" on Telegram over legal violations.

Russia’s battle against VPNs is entering a new phase: Here's what to expect in 2026

New laws and sophisticated blocking techniques are making VPN use in Russia increasingly difficult. Here's what changed last year and what to expect over the next 12 months.

1 2 3 4 5

People

211,655 stories

Nikol Pashinyan

Vladimir Solovyov

Boris Nadezhdin

Abbas Gallyamov

Sarkis Darbinyan

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

inkl

Organisations

The Associated Press

inkl

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

Topics

Places

415,057 stories

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.

Download on the AppStore

Get it on Google Play