Russia intensifies VPN crackdown in wake of parliamentary elections
Following State Duma elections, Russian authorities have launched a fresh round of VPN blocking, with ten services reporting tighter restrictions within a single week. Industry figures describe it as an expected escalation rather than a wholly new campaign.
Russian authorities have launched a new round of VPN service blocking following the recent State Duma elections. According to a Verstka report, ten VPN services experienced tighter restrictions over the past week, though the outlet withheld their names citing security concerns.
One of the largest and most widely used VPN services told its users in a September 25 email that blocking had intensified since the beginning of the week, with restrictions peaking that same day and disrupting access for many users.
Another service reported that new restrictions began on September 21, forcing its team to replace eight servers within five days. Two additional services said Russia's internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, had blocked all of their server locations abroad as well as the IP addresses of every one of their servers.
Seen as continuation, not new wave
Alexey Kozlyuk, chairman of the VPN Guild, described the heightened blocking as an anticipated consequence of the elections, adding that his organization does not regard it as a fundamentally new development. He noted that some services had seen no rise in pressure at all. According to Kozlyuk, pressure had already begun building in early August, and what is happening now represents a continuation and gradual intensification of that earlier campaign.
Demand for VPNs inside Russia has grown sharply amid the blocking of popular social media platforms, online services, and messaging apps. In response, Russian authorities have stepped up their efforts to prevent citizens from circumventing these restrictions.
