A youth festival in Russia reportedly gives foreign visitors unfiltered Wi-Fi — while keeping Russian participants behind state censorship
Organizers of the International Youth Festival underway at Yekaterinburg Expo have given foreign participants access to websites blocked in Russia, according to the local outlet Signal Ural.
The International Youth Festival in Yekaterinburg is offering unfiltered internet access to foreign visitors, while Russian attendees are restricted by state censorship, according to Signal Ural. The exhibition center provides three distinct Wi-Fi networks: IWYF2026_GLOBAL for international delegates without internet filtering, IWYF2026_UNITED for Russian participants subject to Russian censorship, and IWYF2026_VIP for speakers and organizers.
To connect, users must enter a unique number from their accreditation badge. This setup allows international visitors to access social media platforms and websites blocked in Russia, while Russian attendees are unable to connect to the foreign network. Festival staff mentioned that the unrestricted internet access enables visitors to share their experiences and keep up with social media updates.
This approach mirrors a similar arrangement during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June 2026, where organizers provided special SIM cards and VPN subscriptions to foreign visitors to access blocked services like WhatsApp and Instagram.
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