YouTube Resumes Full Service in Russia for Some Providers Amid Ongoing Discussions on Network Restrictions

On March 1, 2025, users reported that the American video platform YouTube has resumed functioning in Russia without the previously experienced throttling issues over wired internet connections for some internet service providers, and this has occurred without any external intervention.

The reasons behind this situation remain unclear, as the partial unblocking and accessibility of YouTube appear to vary depending on the service operators and the user’s region. No official statements from regulatory authorities regarding this matter have been made.

«Users of Rostelecom, MTS, and Beeline indicated that they are able to load content without issues. The application responds instantly, and previews appear immediately—such speed has not been experienced in several years,» the media have reported.

However, not all users are experiencing restored access to the video hosting platform. Experts have suggested to the media that this phenomenon might simply be the result of a technical glitch.

According to reports from the Communications Network Monitoring and Management Center (CMU SSOIP) of the Main Radio Frequency Center (GRChC, which operates under Roskomnadzor), YouTube remains inaccessible in Russia.

Data from Google suggests a slight increase in traffic for the video platform in Russia between February 28 and March 1.

Since early August 2024, YouTube’s functionality within the networks of Russian internet providers had virtually come to a halt.

A Google representative stated to the media that they are aware of reports regarding some users being unable to access YouTube in Russia. «This is not due to any technical issues or actions on our part,» they clarified.