Russia escalates VPN blocks following State Duma elections in major censorship crackdown

Russia has ramped up its censorship efforts by intensifying blocks on virtual private networks (VPNs) following the recent State Duma elections. Approximately 57 million Russians rely on VPNs to access the open web. Ten VPN providers reported significant network restrictions and IP blocking within a week. This surge in blocking follows a pattern of mounting pressure that had been building since early August, according to Alexey Kozlyuk, chairman of the VPN Guild.

The Russian authorities have intensified their assault on VPNs, employing strategies such as IP blocking, service disruptions, and even weaponizing domestic tech by pressuring internet companies to log VPN connections. The Kremlin's crackdown on VPNs has rendered an estimated 57 million people, roughly 40% of the population, dependent on these tools to bypass internet restrictions and access independent news sources and blocked platforms like Instagram and YouTube.