- Russian telecom operators ask to delay the introduction of VPN traffic fees
- Companies cite technical obstacles
- VPN traffic fees are part of a broader plan to reduce VPN use in the country
Russian telecom operators have asked the Ministry of Digital Development to postpone the introduction of new fees on VPN traffic.
According to Moscow-based business daily Vedomost, vendors say their systems will not be ready for the planned May 1 rollout due to technical limitations.
In late March, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev asked operators to impose additional fees on users exceeding 15 GB of international data per month.
The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce VPN use as more residents adopt the technology to bypass blocks on platforms like Telegram.
VPNs work by redirecting traffic through encrypted international servers. This hides a user’s IP address and allows them to bypass national censorship to access blocked websites.
Technical problem or fundamental defect?
Along with the new fees, Moscow ordered ISPs to detect and block VPN traffic. These requirements came into effect on April 15, with digital rights groups now saying that the country’s 30 most popular Android apps already monitor active VPN connections.
Maxim Katz, a leading Russian opposition figure who tracks VPN connectivity in the region, says these efforts show how Roskomnadzor – Russia’s censorship agency – lacks the technical capabilities to prevent residents from using VPNs to circumvent government restrictions.
“They can’t do it technically, and now they want companies to help them. But companies don’t want to help them,” Katz told TechRadar. He also suggested that businesses would likely obey the orders, but that in practice “in reality nothing would change.”
Despite growing criticism, the Kremlin shows no signs of letting up. Earlier this week, officials announced plans to establish a “whitelist” of government-approved VPNs, while President Putin defended recent internet outages as a necessary security measure.
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