Russia’s Digital Development Ministry tries to crack down on banned sites masked in ‘white lists’

The Russian Digital Development Ministry has intensified efforts to target "white list" websites hosting "content banned in Russia," such as ads for VPN services, according to a report by RBC. The ministry instructed hosting providers, web protection services, and CDN providers to relocate the IP addresses of these "white list" resources into distinct subnets, as per the outlet's account.

This action aims to eliminate the use of IP addresses from the "white list" by entities lacking proper authorization. A source cited by the outlet noted that unrelated websites can inadvertently become part of the "white lists." Companies conduct screenings when initially connecting to a site, but these sites can later alter their content.

For instance, a website may initially register as an online store and later post VPN or other gray zone content. The "white lists," sites mandated to stay accessible during mobile internet disruptions, were introduced in Russia in the fall of 2025. The Digital Development Ministry continuously revises the list of approved sites.

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