Russia Toughens Restrictions On VPNs Amid Internet Crackdown

Russia has hardened its restrictions on the use of VPNs to access a host of online services, state and independent media outlets reported Wednesday, as the authorities seek to exert more control over online communications.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) allow users to mask the websites they visit, enhancing security by making it more difficult for telecoms networks or security services to access data.

They have boomed in popularity in Russia in recent years as a way to circumvent state censorship and as Moscow bans hosts of critical news sites, Western services, social media platforms and messengers.

The TASS state news agency reported Wednesday that banks, video streaming sites, online retailers and search engines were blocking access where they detected the user had an active VPN connection.

AFP journalists in Moscow were shown error messages that read "it seems you are using a VPN" and "access denied, turn off VPN connection if you are using one" when trying to access online retailers Ozon and Wildberries.

Russian telecoms services have been trying to limit traffic over VPNs for months, but independent media outlets reported the restrictions had been expanded significantly in recent days.

The Russian government had instructed telecoms operators and major services to block VPN users by April 15, state media reported.

Moscow introduced strict censorship days after it launched its full-scale military offensive on Ukraine in 2022 and has eradicated public opposition to the war and the Kremlin.

Asked by AFP about the new restrictions on Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There are currently no bans (on VPNs), and no (criminal) liability for using them. I have no information to the contrary, or about any plans about that."

Russia's Roskomnadzor internet watchdog has simultaneously been throttling the country's two largest messengers -- Telegram and WhatsApp -- for months in an attempt to push users to use state-backed Max, an unencrypted super-app similar to China's WeChat that critics say raises privacy and snooping concerns.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed)