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17h ago

Russia Tightens Digital Grip With Mobile Blackouts and 'Whitelist' Tests in Major Cities

Kremlin officials frame the curbs as security steps against Ukrainian drone threats.

People use cell phones while standing outside St. Basil's Cathedral in central Moscow, Russia, March 16, 2026.
A woman holds her cell phone in the air as she walks her dog in a foggy park in St Petersburg on March 18, 2026.
FILE - Women look at their smartphones while riding a bus in Moscow, on March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)
A delivery courier looks at a cell phone in central Moscow, Russia, on March 17, 2026.

Overview

  • Mobile internet has been cut daily in parts of central Moscow, St Petersburg and other cities, according to Reuters reporters and foreign diplomats.
  • Carriers sent SMS warnings of temporary restrictions this week as authorities tested access limited to approved sites through experimental whitelists.
  • No official whitelist has been published, though reports say access persists for state media, banks, government portals, marketplaces, Russian social networks and the MAX messenger.
  • Enforcement expanded with Telegram throttled, WhatsApp blocked and dozens of VPNs removed, under new laws boosting FSB powers to order disconnections.
  • Disruptions have hindered payments, taxis and ATMs, with Moscow businesses estimated to have lost 3–5 billion rubles in less than a week, while attempts to protest the restrictions were largely blocked.