Russia Could Follow North Korea’s Model of Internet Restrictions — Ukraine’s Anti-Disinformation Center

Ukraine’s Anti-Disinformation Center has warned that Russia might adopt a model of internet restrictions similar to that of North Korea, according to Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the organization. Kovalenko explained that Moscow is already incorporating some of Pyongyang’s methods of social control and could intensify limitations on digital access in the future.

He suggested that Russia may increasingly look to North Korea as a model for maintaining societal control, particularly as both nations strengthen their political and military ties. Kovalenko predicted that Russians could encounter increasingly stringent internet restrictions within the next two years, potentially leading to a digitally isolated environment akin to the one enforced in North Korea.

The official cautioned that Russian citizens may not yet be aware of the trajectory of the country’s digital policy. These potential restrictions would be part of a larger pattern of heightened state control over information and communications in Russia, as Moscow continues to bolster censorship and surveillance measures. The warning was issued as military cooperation between Russia and North Korea intensifies, with Ukrainian officials noting that North Korean personnel are gaining firsthand experience of modern warfare in Russia and Moscow contemplating deploying between 30,000 and 50,000 North Korean troops on Russian soil.