Russian authorities intensify VPN blocking following legislative elections
After the recent parliamentary vote, Russian regulators have resumed a campaign to restrict VPN services, affecting at least ten providers.
Following the legislative elections, Russian officials have restarted efforts to curb VPN usage, a move. At least ten VPN services have reported limitations, including a leading provider that warned users of system outages and total disconnects. A second VPN indicated that the latest blocking wave started on 21 September, compelling it to swap eight foreign servers in just five days.
Seven other providers announced similar errors and blocks via Telegram, with one confirming that Roskomnadzor blocked all foreign server IP addresses. Alexei Kozliuk, a VPN operator, described the heightened blocking as expected but not a new wave, noting a steady escalation of pressure. The Russian government originally launched an internet censorship campaign in March, later securing agreements with around 20 international telecom operators to limit bandwidth for such services.
Why it matters
The crackdown limits Russians' ability to access uncensored information online.
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