Trending Now - Internet Disruptions in Russia Raise Concerns Over Digital Control

WHO:

President Trump

Svetlana, a resident of suburban Moscow

Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman

Mikhail Klimarev, Russian internet freedom expert and head of the Internet Protection Society

Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram

Alexander Sustov, a legislator in Russia’s Primorye region

Abbas Gallyamov, political analyst

Viktor Gilin, an 80-year-old activist

Konstantin Larionov, activist in Kaluga

WHAT:

Internet and mobile service outages in Moscow and St. Petersburg have disrupted daily life for residents.

Residents report difficulties in using mobile apps, making voice calls, and sending SMS.

Estimated cost of less than one week’s mobile internet shutdown in Moscow is between 3–5 billion rubles ($34.8 million - $58 million).

Telegram had 93.6 million monthly users in Russia as of December 2025, representing 76% of the population.

Authorities blocked protests in nearly a dozen regions over internet censorship and the blocking of Telegram.

Activists faced detentions during protests, including 16 people in Novosibirsk.

A pro-Telegram rally was authorized in Krasnodar for March 29th.

WHERE:

Moscow, Russia

St. Petersburg, Russia

Primorye region, Russia

Novosibirsk, Russia

Kaluga, southwest of Moscow

Krasnodar, Russia

Ural Mountains city of Perm, Russia

Siberia's Altai region, Russia

WHEN:

Internet outages began in early March 2026.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made a statement on March 11, 2026.

Protests were blocked in recent weeks leading up to March 2026.

A pro-Telegram rally was authorized for March 29, 2026.

A demonstration in Perm was scheduled for March 15, 2026.

WHY:

Authorities claim the internet shutdowns are part of a security effort to counter “increasingly sophisticated methods” of Ukrainian attack.

The Kremlin may be testing its ability to clamp down on public protest amid fears of domestic backlash.

Discontent over internet censorship and the blocking of Telegram is widespread across the political spectrum.

HOW:

Authorities used various excuses to block protests, including “tree inspection” and snow removal problems.

Activists have challenged government refusals to authorize protests in court.

The government has restricted access to multiple virtual private networks and thousands of websites.

The Kremlin is promoting a state-controlled messaging app called MAX as an alternative to Telegram.

(UPDATED March 21, 2026 07:14 UTC)

Internet and mobile service outages in Moscow and St. Petersburg have severely disrupted daily life, with residents struggling to use mobile apps, make voice calls, and send SMS messages. Authorities have blocked protests in nearly a dozen regions over internet censorship, leading to detentions, including 16 activists in Novosibirsk, while a pro-Telegram rally is set for March 29 in Krasnodar. The Kremlin claims these internet shutdowns are part of a security effort against perceived threats, as discontent over the blocking of Telegram grows across the political spectrum.