What started as “security” measures prompted by the Ukraine war, appears to be moving to a blueprint for a fragmented, controlled Runet (Russia’s internet). 

By Lisa Peryman for Probe International

The Kremlin dramatically escalated its control over digital communications in Russia starting in early March 2026, with widespread mobile internet blackouts sweeping major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg. Officially justified as “security” measures against alleged threats such as Ukrainian drones, these outages—enacted under a new law signed by President Vladimir Putin—have left millions unable to access essential services, make calls, or communicate during emergencies.

Citizens express a mix of resignation and frustration with the “new normal” of limited access, as they face daily struggles with payments and accessing basic information and connectivity, while tragic incidents—like disabled airstrike warnings leading to casualties—underscore the life-threatening consequences of state-dominated information flow.

Compounding these concerns, authorities have intensified restrictions on popular messaging platforms like Telegram, choking access and imposing gradual blocks in early 2026, while aggressively promoting a mandatory alternative, the state-backed app MAX. Developed by VK, a subsidiary controlled by the state, and preinstalled on new devices, MAX enables extensive surveillance, including data collection on user activity, location, and communications—features critics decry as tools for political control and punishment of anti-regime views. This forced migration from independent apps to a monitored one, compels citizens into a surveilled digital ecosystem that stifles open discourse and isolates individuals from uncensored information.

The broader pattern reveals a systematic push toward a “digital iron curtain,” with Russia leading the world in internet shutdowns in 2025 and now testing whitelist systems—positive filtering that blocks all content by default except pre-approved government services, state media, and select essentials. Implemented in numerous regions during outages and framed as a necessary measure to restore access during shutdowns, these mechanisms transform temporary blackouts into controlled access environments, allowing the regime to dictate what Russians can see, read, or share. Far from mere security precautions, such tactics appear designed to preempt domestic unrest, especially amid war-related sacrifices and ahead of key political moments like the September 2026 State Duma elections.

Driven by fears of public backlash over the prolonged Ukraine war and unpopular demands for mobilization and economic hardship, by dismantling open internet access—throttling platforms, blocking VPNs, criminalizing certain searches, and empowering security services—the Kremlin seeks to prevent the formation of independent narratives or opposition movements, echoing Soviet-era information control while adapting it to the digital age.

The campaign against mobile internet access began in May 2025, with numerous shutdowns attributed to various justifications, including security concerns related to potential Ukrainian drone attacks. However, investigations revealed no direct correlation between these outages and actual threats. By October, a survey indicated that 72% of respondents experienced mobile internet shutdowns, with even higher rates among younger users. This degradation of access has led to a normalization of limited mobile connectivity, with some areas announcing permanent shutdowns until the end of the war in Ukraine. Accompanying these disruptions was the testing of “whitelist” technology, which allows only a limited set of approved services and websites to remain accessible during shutdowns. By November, 57 regions were using whitelists.

The Kremlin’s strategy appears to be a response to the failures of previous censorship efforts, as the initial attempts to block social networks did not significantly reduce user engagement. Instead, Telegram gained millions of new users, while VK, the Kremlin-controlled platform, struggled to attract users from banned networks. As the Kremlin tightens its grip—potentially fragmenting the global internet and inspiring other authoritarian governments—the loss of open access to information and expression marks a grave regression, raising urgent concerns about the future of digital liberty under an increasingly repressive regime.