A massive headache': Russians move to walkie-talkies as internet blackouts hit Moscow

"The Kremlin said this week that the outages were being introduced to ensure security and would remain in place as long as additional measures are necessary, without providing further details about the reasons behind the restrictions."

"Human rights activists said the shutdown could be linked to Moscow testing a new so-called whitelist system, under which only a limited number of government-approved websites and essential online services would remain accessible to Russians."

"Internet shutdowns have become increasingly common in Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In 2025, the country ranked first globally for the number of internet disruptions, according to estimates by the research group Top10VPN."

Moscow and St. Petersburg residents have experienced widespread mobile internet disruptions over the past week, with users unable to access websites, apps, or make calls. The Kremlin confirmed the outages are security-related measures that will continue as needed, without providing specific justification. Human rights activists suggest the disruptions may be linked to testing a whitelist system that would limit Russians to only government-approved websites and essential services. While internet shutdowns have affected Russia broadly since the Ukraine invasion, the disruptions in Moscow's central areas—the political and economic hub—have drawn significant attention. Russia ranked first globally for internet disruptions in 2025 according to Top10VPN research.

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