- Google reportedly subject to 233 VPN removal orders in Russia in March
- Requests to remove 500 URLs from search were also issued in April.
- ZoogVPN was removed from Google Play, but reported as ‘malicious’
Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor issued orders to remove 233 apps on Google Play in March 2026 alone, specifically targeting tools designed to circumvent internet restrictions.
The findings, first reported by Important Stories, are another example of how Russian censors are stepping up their crackdown on VPN use across the country.
TechRadar also identified recordings in the Lumen Database – a US non-profit that tracks global content removal requests – details an April request from Roskomnadzor to remove more than 500 URLs from Google search results in Russia. The order cited Federal Law No. 276-FZ of 2017, which prohibits the use of VPN services to access state-blocked content.
However, Google appears to be largely resisting these demands. Speaking to TechRadar in April last year, Benjamin Ismail, campaign and advocacy director at GreatFire, said only six apps had been removed despite more than 200 blocking orders. It’s unclear exactly how many apps were removed following the latest round of orders.
Google mostly resists removal orders, but ZoogVPN disappears
Removal orders targeting app store providers are nothing new. According to data from Important Stories, Roskomnadzor has asked Google to remove at least 1,379 VPN services and other circumvention tools since 2024.
The big tech giant was fined 22.8 million rubles last February, including for non-compliance with removal measures and for allegedly promoting VPN services through advertisements on Google Play.
In comparison, Apple does not disclose full details about the takedown requests it receives. However, the company was found to have removed at least 60 VPN apps in 2024 alone from its Russian App Store, including major providers such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Proton VPN.
Apple’s 2024 App Store Transparency Report also shows that 171 apps were removed from the Russian App Store during the year, at the request of the government. Last week, Apple also reportedly removed some custom VPN clients from the Russian App Store.
The popular service blocks ZoogVPN on Play Market. Google is also looking for complete information from Google to use Android version. Google Play Automatic Services recommend using ZoogVPN as a user and deleting your configuration. Once again,… pic.twitter.com/FL43UurLWiApril 7, 2026
It is worth noting, however, that on Tuesday April 7, a Russian civil society group, First Department, reported that a popular VPN app in the country, ZoogVPN, had been removed from Google Play after being deemed “malicious.”
However, some apps are removed by Google. On Tuesday, Russian civil society group First Department reported that ZoogVPN – a popular VPN in Russia – had been removed from Google Play after being flagged as “malicious.”
Android users have reportedly received system notifications from Google Play Protect prompting them to uninstall the app and revoke its permissions. However, ZoogVPN developers claim that this may be a “false positive” rather than a legitimate security threat.
It remains unclear whether ZoogVPN’s removal is directly related to the increase in Russian takedown orders or whether it is an unrelated technical issue. TechRadar reached out to Google for clarification but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
An increased need for VPNs
In what digital rights experts have called “Russia’s Great Internet Crackdown,” residents are finding it increasingly difficult to access the open web.
Major hubs like Moscow and St. Petersburg have would have become a testing ground for a “whitelist” type censorship regime, where only pre-approved sites are accessible. At the same time, access to popular messaging app Telegram has been restricted, with critics suggesting it is a strategic move to push users toward the state-controlled MAX app.
As VPNs become an essential lifeline for many Russians, authorities are doubling down on circumvention tools.
Last week, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev launched a plan to “reduce VPN use,” introducing new blocking mandates for businesses as well as fines and fees for individual VPN users.
Despite these challenges, some censorship-resistant VPNs – namely Amnezia VPN, Windscribe and NymVPN – told TechRadar that they are still working in the country.
