MOSCOW (AP) — Foreign websites remained inaccessible on mobile devices throughout central Moscow on Friday as internet restrictions continued to impact Russia’s capital for more than eight days, disrupting daily life for millions and causing severe economic damage to companies dependent on mobile connectivity.
Government officials claim these limitations serve as protective measures against potential Ukrainian drone strikes, though technology specialists believe the actions may be testing procedures for completely severing Russian citizens’ access to international internet if leadership chooses this path.
The sporadic service interruptions, previously documented across numerous Russian territories over recent months, have led some Moscow citizens to resurrect outdated communication devices including walkie-talkies, pagers and portable media equipment.
These connectivity disruptions represent one component of comprehensive government efforts to control internet access. Officials have implemented restrictive regulations and prohibited websites and platforms refusing to comply. Advanced technology has been developed to monitor and control online activity.
Following President Vladimir Putin’s military deployment to Ukraine in February 2022, the administration blocked prominent social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. In the previous year, Russia’s telecommunications regulator announced limitations on widely-used messaging applications WhatsApp and Telegram.
Simultaneously, officials have aggressively promoted a “national” messaging application named MAX, which opposition voices characterize as a monitoring instrument.
The mobile internet blackouts affecting Moscow, initially documented on March 5 in certain suburban areas, expanded into the city center during the current week. Numerous additional regions have experienced connectivity failures since May.
Throughout these interruptions, select government-endorsed Russian websites and digital services remained accessible through “white lists.” However, during this week’s mobile internet problems in Moscow, even approved government platforms, major banking institutions and ride-sharing applications ceased operating.
Companies with fixed broadband connections and residents with home internet service have remained unaffected.
Nevertheless, Moscow cafe, restaurant and retail establishment owners depending on mobile internet have experienced substantial financial damage as patrons cannot complete electronic payments. ATMs and parking payment systems requiring cellular internet connectivity stopped functioning.
Ride-sharing applications have provided customers alternative options to request transportation through telephone calls and cash payments.
At certain times, cellular phone service for voice calls was completely suspended alongside internet access.
During the week, Kremlin-controlled parliament members reported mobile internet was virtually nonexistent within the lower house facility situated mere hundreds of meters from Red Square.
Friday brought restored access to Russian websites and certain mobile applications in central Moscow, while foreign websites remained blocked in what some analysts interpreted as preparation exercises for complete internet isolation.
Business publication Kommersant released calculations earlier this week estimating Moscow businesses lost between 3 and 5 billion rubles (approximately $38 million to $63 million) during five days of service interruptions. Alternative assessments suggested significantly higher losses.
News outlets reported that as blackouts affected Moscow, retailers experienced rapid increases in demand for pagers, portable radios, landline telephones and media devices.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Wednesday that the recent mobile internet shutdown in Moscow occurred in “strict conformity with the law” and would continue “as long as additional measures to ensure security of our citizens are necessary.”
Recently enacted legislation requires Russian internet service providers to disable mobile internet access when authorities determine security concerns necessitate such action.
When questioned about the timing of Moscow’s current shutdowns, Peskov explained that as Ukraine employs “increasingly sophisticated methods of attack, the more technologically advanced measures are needed to ensure public security.”
He indicated the government would examine methods to reimburse businesses for shutdown-related losses but provided no detailed plans.
