Russia to block VPNs

[tokoroko]

Russia to block VPNs
OCTOBER 4, 2023 10.33 EUROPE/LONDON BY CHRIS DZIADUL

The Russian regulator Roskomnadzor plans to independently block sites that contain information about ways to bypass blocking in the country.

Kommersant reports that this was the regulator’s response to a statement by Senator Artem Sheikin that Roskomnadzor that from March 1, 2024 it will block VPN services in app stores if they provide access to sites not allowed in Russia.

Following the statement, Alexander Khinshtein, head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, said that such powers already exist. He also suggested that the senator had another initiative in mind, namely limiting the search results of VPNs that filter prohibited information.

A representative of Roskomnadzor told Kommersant: “According to the draft resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation, developed by the Ministry of Digital Development, Roskomnadzor will independently decide on the inclusion of Internet pages containing information on ways and means of bypassing blocking in the Unified Register of Prohibited Information”.

[Watsonthomas]

As of my last knowledge update in September 2021, I don't have specific information about Russia blocking VPNs. However, if this has become a recent development, it's important to note that governments, including Russia, have sometimes taken measures to restrict or control the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for various reasons.
If Russia is indeed planning to block VPNs or has implemented such measures, it could be for reasons related to censorship, control over online content, or security concerns. Governments often aim to regulate and monitor internet traffic for reasons such as preventing access to certain websites or services, enforcing national laws, or addressing security issues. Xcine