Russia Expands Internet Blackouts to 100 Million Telegram Users as 60 Million Turn to VPNs
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · May 13
Russia Expands Internet Blackouts to 100 Million Telegram Users as 60 Million Turn to VPNs
4 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · May 13
Last week’s restrictions again knocked out mobile internet in Russia’s biggest cities and, in some areas, even calls and texts, with authorities citing security ahead of Victory Day after a three-week March shutdown.
The clampdown has widened beyond temporary outages: officials are squeezing VPN use through payment blocks, a proposed 15 GB cap on international traffic and pressure on whitelisted platforms to reject users running bypass tools.
About 60 million Russians—roughly 46% of internet users—still rely on VPNs, while Telegram’s audience rebounded after an initial 30% drop, showing users are adopting proxies and other workarounds.
Authorities are also pushing users onto Max, a state-backed super app that activists say is built for surveillance; schools, workplaces and government portals are being shifted onto it, and new smartphones must have it preinstalled.
The backlash has reached elites and loyalist figures as Putin’s ratings fell for seven straight weeks, underscoring how internet controls are straining the long-standing bargain of political passivity in exchange for private autonomy.
Is Russia's 'digital sovereignty' the first domino to fall, leading to a truly fractured global internet?
Is Putin's war on the internet creating a new front line of dissent within Russia's own elite?
Russia’s 2026 Internet Crackdown: Mobile Blackouts, Messaging Bans, and the Push for a “Sovereign Internet”
Overview
From late April to early May 2026, Russia saw an unprecedented escalation in internet restrictions, marking a major shift in government control over digital communications. Widespread outages, including in Moscow, disrupted daily life for citizens and businesses, fueling growing discontent. The crackdown targeted mobile internet, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, and VPNs, pushing users toward a state-owned surveillance app. These measures, justified by authorities as security steps, are widely seen as efforts to consolidate power and isolate Russia from the global internet. The resulting disruptions have sparked protests and highlighted deepening public frustration and resistance.