Overview
- Mobile and messaging services have reportedly been disrupted for days in central Moscow, with blocks said to focus on areas around Lubyanka, the Presidential Administration, the Security Council, Moscow‑City, and special forces units.
- The claims come from VChK‑OGPU, a channel with ties to security services, which alleges the Kremlin fears a coup attempt by Shoigu’s allies, though the account remains unverified.
- Sergei Shoigu has not been publicly seen or quoted since March 5, which coincides with the start of the reported communications restrictions in the capital.
- Investigators recently detained ex‑deputy defence minister Ruslan Tsalikov on corruption suspicions, extending a series of probes targeting figures linked to Shoigu.
- Two weeks ago Vladimir Putin signed a law empowering the FSB to block electronic communications for security reasons without public explanation, and observers compare the current disruptions to measures seen during the 2023 Prigozhin mutiny.