- Around twenty Russian telecommunications companies have signed a moratorium to stop the expansion of communication channels to Europe.
- The bandwidth freeze aims to curb VPN use by forcing operators to filter traffic or introduce a “cost-effective filter” on international data.
- More than 20 of Russia’s largest websites have also started restricting access to users with active VPN connections.
Russia’s current war on digital privacy has taken a serious structural turn. According to new reports, around 20 Russian telecommunications companies with international communication channels have signed a moratorium freezing their expansion in Europe.
This decision constitutes a direct attack on Internet freedom. By artificially capping the bandwidth of cross-border data channels, the state intends to choke off the networks necessary for the best VPN services to operate, leaving citizens increasingly isolated from the global Internet.
As detailed by local media RBC and Meduza, VPN use is recorded on telecommunications networks as foreign traffic. With fixed bandwidth, the natural growth of international data will eventually saturate existing lines.
The moratorium was reportedly signed following meetings with Maksut Shadayev, head of the Ministry of Digital Development. Telecommunications operators including MTS, VimpelCom (Beeline), T2 Mobile and Transtelecom were among the participants.
Impose an “economic filter”
By refusing to develop international infrastructure, the burden of censorship shifts directly to the telecommunications sector. A source told RBC:
“Ultimately, telecom operators will try to fight against VPNs whose traffic appears foreign on the network: either they will try to filter it, or they will increase the cost of access to foreign services, in other words, they will ‘impose an economic filter'”.
Authorities also hope that this fabricated bottleneck will prompt foreign digital platforms to install local servers within Russian borders to prevent their users from suffering serious drops in download speeds.
Additionally, Forbes recently reported that the ministry had proposed imposing fees on mobile users consuming more than 15GB of international data per month, a measure expected to be implemented by May 1.
A technical repression on several fronts
This infrastructure freeze is just one element of a broader campaign against circumvention tools. Since April 1, Russia’s “big four” carriers have disabled the ability to pay for Apple IDs via mobile bills in an effort to disrupt VPN subscriptions, especially as the ministry noted that VPN detection on iPhones is “significantly limited.”
Additionally, more than 20 of the country’s most popular websites, including Yandex, VK and Sber, are now required to restrict access if a user has a VPN enabled.
“This is essentially a fight against VPNs using the platforms and their advanced technical means,” explained an RBC source.
Are VPNs still a viable option?
Despite these aggressive measures, authorities say no outright ban is in place. The press secretary of the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, said:
“There is currently no ban on this and no liability for its use is contemplated.”
However, Shadayev admitted on the Max Messenger app that punishing users was being considered.
“The issue of introducing administrative sanctions for VPN use was raised during the chat. This is a brutal solution that we categorically disapprove of,” he wrote.
“The measures discussed today constitute a difficult compromise. Of course, we understand all the consequences, but all other options are much worse.”
For users navigating this increasingly hostile landscape, understanding how to survive Russia’s VPN crackdown is more vital than ever.
Follow TechRadar on Google News And add us as your favorite source to get our news, reviews and expert opinions in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
