Russians forced to use VPNs as internet censorship intensifies

Russian authorities have been blocking websites, apps and services for years, but this spring the restrictions reached a new scale. Readers of independent outlet Meduza shared how their daily lives have changed and what new habits they have adopted to bypass censorship.

Internet censorship in Russia has reached a new peak this spring, with authorities blocking a wide range of websites, applications, and digital services that had become a routine part of everyday life. The restrictions have forced millions of Russians — including those who previously supported the government — to seek workarounds such as virtual private networks, known as VPNs.

Even Loyalists Turn to VPNs

Readers of the independent Latvian-based Russian outlet Meduza shared their experiences with the escalating digital blockades. One of the most striking observations was that even supporters of the Russian government had begun using VPNs, reportedly saying "this has gone too far." The comment highlights how internet restrictions have begun to affect ordinary citizens across the political spectrum, not just opposition-minded users.

According to the testimonies collected by Meduza, the wave of new restrictions this spring was particularly broad. Services and platforms that Russians had relied on for years suddenly became inaccessible without technical workarounds. Many respondents described adjusting their daily digital routines — installing VPN applications, switching to alternative platforms, or accessing content through mirrored websites.

A New Digital Routine

The accounts paint a picture of a society slowly adapting to tightening information controls. Some respondents noted that discussing how to bypass restrictions had itself become a regular topic of conversation, even among people who had never previously paid attention to internet freedom issues. Others described a sense of resignation — an acceptance that navigating around blocks had simply become a permanent feature of online life in Russia.

The Kremlin has intensified its campaign to control the domestic internet — a project officials have long referred to as the "sovereign internet" — over recent years, particularly following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Independent news sources, social media platforms, and communications apps have all faced restrictions, leaving many Russians relying on censorship circumvention tools to access information from outside the country.