Overview
- Digital minister Maksut Shadayev said Monday night the goal is to reduce VPN use, with new steps routed through mobile carriers, app stores, and major online platforms.
- Russia’s four main operators were told to switch off Apple service payments from phone balances before April 1 to make it harder to fund VPNs on iPhones.
- Shadayev asked carriers to add a fee by May for monthly international data over 15 GB, a change that would drive up the cost of VPN traffic that exits Russia.
- The ministry pressed services like Ozon, Wildberries, Avito, and Yandex to detect VPN users and limit access or risk removal from government “white lists” that keep apps working during mobile internet cuts.
- Apple removed several VPN apps from the Russian App Store, and Telegram has been throttled with local media reporting a possible full block on Wednesday, while officials say they will not fine people for using VPNs.