Censorship and a State-Backed VPN in Russia
Since launching its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022, Russian authorities have tightened censorship, driving millions of citizens to rely on virtual private networks (VPNs). In response, Roskomnadzor—the country’s internet watchdog—has proposed building a state-owned VPN. The idea was floated on June 8 during a meeting with top executives from Russian tech firms including Yandex, VK, InfoWatch, and Positive Technologies. But the proposal was met with little enthusiasm.
Igor Ashmanov, head of the company 'Ashan,' dismissed the concept as both helpless and technically unworkable. His reaction mirrors the broader skepticism surrounding the project.
“This news is certainly baffling. A government VPN designed to bypass restrictions that the same government itself imposed makes no sense.” — Natalia Kovalova, a researcher on Russia and Eurasia at the London-based think tank Chatham House.Dmitry Kolezev, an exiled journalist, also weighed in:
“It’s just a joke: first you block everything, then you create a state VPN to bypass your own blocks.”
Mobile Internet Restrictions
Beyond the state VPN debate, Russian authorities are actively throttling mobile internet, especially in border regions and Moscow. They have also slowed down Telegram, the popular messaging app created by Pavel Durov. According to reports, Putin authorized the FSB’s Second Service to handle internet slowdowns and Telegram restrictions. The government is meanwhile pushing its own messaging app, Max, in an effort to reduce reliance on Western platforms.
Experts point out that Russia remains deeply tied to the global internet infrastructure, making a complete shutdown impossible. Elena Epifanova, a digital security researcher at the German Council on Foreign Relations, explained: “To some extent, Russia has already built its own sovereign internet. The state decided: total censorship, total surveillance, total state control—they have fully committed to this path. But then there can be no national IT industry.”
As censorship and internet control in Russia continue to escalate, experts and users are growing increasingly alarmed. While the government searches for solutions within its own restrictions, the tepid response from society and tech companies suggests these initiatives may fall short of addressing modern challenges.
The rise in censorship and the proposed state VPN highlight the complex predicament facing both users and tech companies in Russia. The lack of enthusiasm for the government project reflects a deep distrust of initiatives that fail to meet citizens’ needs for open access to information. Analysts note that such moves only underscore the paradox of authorities trying to control the internet while being unable to fully isolate the country from the global network.
As the discussion around a state-run VPN unfolds, growing discontent over internet censorship continues to brew among the Russian populace. Many citizens are increasingly frustrated by the government's efforts to control online access, which only fuels the demand for alternative solutions amidst tightening restrictions.