Putin Orders 3 Critical Online Services Kept Live During Outages as Russia Expands Internet White List
Updated
Updated · The Moscow Times · Jun 1
Putin Orders 3 Critical Online Services Kept Live During Outages as Russia Expands Internet White List
3 articles · Updated · The Moscow Times · Jun 1
Putin told the government and FSB to keep healthcare platforms, the Gosuslugi state portal and electronic payment networks accessible during mobile internet shutdowns, with progress reports due by July 1.
The order formalizes a broader “white list” system Putin first raised in April, when he defended blackouts as protection against “terrorist attacks” and told officials to preserve selected services.
The registry already covers the state-backed Max messenger, state news agencies and major banks, while the Kremlin said Monday the latest directive is a refinement and expansion of that list.
Dozens of Russian regions now face daily disruptions, monitoring groups say, as controls linked to the FSB have reportedly tightened around Telegram, WhatsApp and VPN use since the Ukraine invasion.
As Russia builds its digital iron curtain, is total information control now inevitable for its citizens?
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