- A Russian official has announced plans to “reduce VPN usage” in the country.
- The move includes new blocking obligations for websites and fees for users.
- The “great repression” underway in Russia also targets Telegram
Russia has unveiled a new strategy aimed at preventing citizens from using VPNs to circumvent state-imposed blocks, including those affecting the popular messaging app Telegram.
In a letter shared about the state-controlled MAX app – initially reported by PK Press Club – Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev said the government’s “task is to reduce VPN use.”
Shadaev’s announcement also confirmed his intention to restrict access to several additional foreign platforms, although the minister did not confirm which services would be affected.
Russian media outlet Kommersant reports that major digital platforms will soon be required to block users identified as using a VPN. Failure to comply with these rules could result in a platform being removed from the country’s “white list,” an official registry of approved websites available to the Russian public.
According to Forbes Russia, Shadaev also met with major telecommunications operators to discuss the introduction of fees for VPN use. Specifically, the government is considering imposing a surcharge for users exceeding 15GB of international data per month.
During these discussions, Shadaev reportedly considered the possibility of introducing administrative sanctions for the use of circumvention tools, although sources told Forbes that the minister expressed hope that such punitive measures could be avoided.
These developments follow news that Apple removed several custom VPN clients from the Russian App Store at the request of state media regulator Roskomnadzor.
As of January 2026, Kommersant data suggests that Roskomnadzor has already restricted more than 400 VPN services in Russia, representing a 70% increase compared to fall 2025.
At the heart of the “great repression” in Russia
While the Internet in Russia has long been under strict control, the Kremlin has significantly tightened its control in recent weeks.
Unnamed foreign diplomats in Russia have described the events as a “great crackdown”, with residents of Moscow and St Petersburg having lost their mobile connectivity entirely over the past fortnight, while public Wi-Fi hotspots in both cities have been severely limited.
The turning point began with the state blocking of Telegram. As one of the last major platforms still operating relatively freely in the country, Telegram has around 95 million users in Russia.
This massive reach is why the blocking campaign has drawn unprecedented criticism from a rare coalition of citizens, military officials and even high-ranking politicians, according to The New York Times reports.
However, Putin shows no signs of backing down. In February 2026, the Russian Parliament passed a law granting the Federal Security Service (FSB) the power to order targeted communications blackouts at will.
Although using a virtual private network (VPN) is not yet technically illegal, the trajectory of the Kremlin’s digital policy is clear. And with that, the battle against VPNs is set to intensify.
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