Since the start of the war against Ukraine, the Russian internet has rapidly become one of the most closed digital environments in the world. Access to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, independent media, and thousands of foreign websites is blocked, while the so-called RuNet is gradually turning into an isolated digital bubble, extending even to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as reported by swissinfo.
According to Human Rights Watch, in Russia it is increasingly impossible to reach even neutral foreign sites without a VPN. Yet virtual private networks are also becoming unreliable tools for bypassing censorship, as they are actively blocked, slowed down, or made inaccessible. Human rights groups note that more than half of the population does not know how to use them.
In July 2024, authorities began deliberately slowing down YouTube, which is used daily by about 55 million Russians, calling it a “forced measure.” A month later, Roskomnadzor partially restricted voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, citing the fight against fraud and “sabotage activities.”
After these restrictions, about 40% of users installed VPNs. However, these too gradually stopped working, as many services are blocked as soon as they are detected. Even the website of the Swiss publication Swissinfo cannot be accessed in Russia without a VPN.
Users began seeking alternatives. For example, Google Meet quickly became the second most popular free app in the Russian App Store. But, according to independent media, this service also often experiences disruptions, and State Duma deputies have already warned that it could be blocked.
Experts note that Moscow is essentially following the path of Beijing. In the late 1990s, China built the so-called “Great Firewall,” isolating its internet from the rest of the world. Today, most foreign websites and apps, including Skype and WhatsApp, are completely inaccessible there. Russia is moving in the same direction, creating its own system of censorship and control.
Inside the country, there is no consensus regarding the blocks—the more popular the platform, the fewer Russians are willing to fully support its closure. Meanwhile, older generations are more likely to approve restrictions; as early as 2018, about half of Russians supported blocking Telegram.
Surveys also show a shift in foreign policy attitudes. In spring 2025, Russians named Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, India, and North Korea as allies, while Germany, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, the United States, and Poland were identified as main enemies. For the first time in two decades, the United States fell from first place on the list of “hostile countries” to fourth.
Russia is building a new digital curtain, turning the internet from a space of freedom into a tool of control and isolation.
