Russia Tightens Internet Controls, Daily Life Faces Disruptions

Across Russia, ordinary citizens are facing daily challenges as mobile internet shutdowns stretch from the Pacific coast to the Volga region. From public transport to parental monitoring of diabetic children, the disruptions are touching nearly every aspect of modern life.

Credit cards fail on tram terminals, ATMs go offline, and popular messaging apps become inaccessible. For many Russians, a trip abroad now means the risk of losing cellphone connectivity, preventing texts and data usage.

The shutdowns, authorities say, aim to prevent Ukrainian drones from navigating Russian mobile networks. Yet, months of these restrictions have not stopped drone strikes on oil refineries, raising questions about their effectiveness.

During outages, only government-approved services on “white lists” remain available. These include official websites, select online marketplaces, and Russia’s Yandex services. Banking access varies by provider, leaving some citizens unable to complete essential transactions.

In Vladivostok, Marina described the anxiety of relying on a single government-controlled banking app. In Ulyanovsk, one commuter struggled to pay for a tram ride when his credit card failed. Mothers of diabetic children worry about monitoring their kids’ glucose levels, as apps that once offered real-time alerts go dark.

Authorities encourage citizens to embrace a “technology-free lifestyle,” with social media posts showing cartoons suggesting people enjoy the outdoors instead of staring at screens. Yet, many respond with sarcasm or frustration rather than enthusiasm.

New rules restrict SIM cards that were abroad or inactive, blocking texts and data for 24 hours unless manually reactivated. Some SIM cards in cars, meters, or portable Wi-Fi devices cannot be reactivated at all, creating practical problems for households and businesses.

Messaging apps are heavily targeted. WhatsApp and Telegram face throttling or complete restrictions in parts of Russia, while the state-backed MAX app is promoted and preinstalled on all smartphones. MAX lacks end-to-end encryption and shares user data with authorities, raising privacy concerns. Despite 50 million registered users, daily usage lags far behind its foreign counterparts.

Many Russians have adapted by using VPNs to bypass blocks, though these too are routinely restricted. For most citizens, internet shutdowns have become a frustrating, almost accepted inconvenience, as vital services like navigation, banking, and deliveries remain tethered to online systems.

In this environment, daily life is a delicate balancing act. Citizens improvise with limited access while navigating growing government control, a scenario that continues to shape Russia’s digital landscape in 2025.