Unexplained Moscow Internet Blackouts Spark Fears Of Web Censorship Plan
Moscow has been hit by unexplained mobile internet disruptions that have left residents struggling to access apps and make phone calls, and have stoked concerns the Kremlin may be preparing tighter online controls.
Moscow Center Sees Widespread Outages, Daily Life Disrupted
Users in central Moscow and in St Petersburg first encountered difficulties accessing mobile internet about a week ago, with many unable to load websites or apps and some losing service entirely. The Kremlin said the outages were being introduced to “ensure security” and would remain in place “as long as additional measures are necessary, ” without offering further detail. People have reported being unable to order taxis, send work emails or message family while businesses reliant on digital services have experienced payment and logistics problems.
Residents Revert To Walkie-Talkies, Pagers And Paper Maps
Faced with intermittent or near-total outages, many have turned to older communication tools. Data from the e-commerce platform Wildberries & Russ show sales of walkie-talkies have risen by 27% and pagers by 73%, while demand for paper maps of Moscow has nearly tripled. Individuals described having to screenshot directions in advance, carry cash and prepare for unexpected problems when leaving home.
Whitelist Worries, Political And Economic Impact
Human rights activists and observers point to tests of a so-called “whitelist” system under which only a limited number of government-approved websites and essential services would remain available, potentially narrowing access to the wider web. Officials previously said any whitelist would include “all resources needed for life, ” listing marketplaces, delivery services and online pharmacies as examples. The disruptions have hit courier services, taxi apps and retail businesses hard; a business daily estimated losses in Moscow could reach about 1 billion roubles a day, while another estimate put early multi-day losses in the tens of millions of dollars range. The outages also affected political institutions: lawmakers in the State Duma found mobile networks and Wi‑Fi inside the building impaired, and the presidential administration switched to landline phones, as noted by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Internet shutdowns have become more common across the country since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with research estimates placing the country first globally for the number of internet disruptions in 2025.
What happens next remains unclear. Officials have not specified an end date for the measures, and the scale and duration of the latest outages are prompting renewed debate domestically about the future of digital freedoms and the economic cost of restricting connectivity.
