The Rise of Digital Repression: Examining Russias Internet Crackdown Post-Ukraine Invasion

Since its invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has increasingly restricted Russian access to foreign websites, social media platforms, and any information that contradicts its official narratives.

This suppression is expected to intensify as lawmakers have approved new legislation that imposes fines for searching for «extremist» content online and for advertising VPN services. Experts warn that these amendments represent one of the most significant threats to digital freedom in contemporary Russian history.

Additionally, Russian authorities are considering replacing WhatsApp with a domestic messaging application called Max.

These proposals come amid mobile internet disruptions attributed to threats from Ukrainian drones, affecting large parts of the country.

The Moscow Times examines the outlook for internet and communication freedom in Russia moving forward.

On Tuesday, the State Duma approved in its final reading changes that will establish fines for intentionally searching for and accessing «extremist» materials online, including through VPN services. The amendments also target the promotion of VPNs.

Previously, Russian law did not penalize users simply for conducting online searches—only for the creation or distribution of banned content. If approved by the upper house, the Federation Council, and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, the new regulations will take effect on September 1.

Senator Artyom Sheikin, who co-authored the proposals, stated that the amendments primarily target internet providers and technical intermediaries rather than ordinary users. Under the new law, individuals could face fines of up to 5,000 rubles (approximately $63) for searching for «extremist» content.

These amendments have sparked criticism even from pro-Kremlin figures and some Duma members themselves.

Deputy State Duma Speaker Vladislav Davankov, a member of the New People party, remarked that this is the first instance in Russia where someone could be penalized merely for accessing content, often unintentionally.

Yekaterina Mizulina, head of the Kremlin-aligned Safe Internet League and a strong advocate for online censorship, expressed concerns that the legislation might impede her organization’s efforts. She noted that about 30% of the League’s work involves monitoring extremist content and forwarding findings to law enforcement, which could now be deemed illegal under the new rules. She further warned that even police officers could face legal repercussions for monitoring such material.

Officials in Russia are also contemplating a ban on WhatsApp, which is one of the most commonly used messaging services in the country, with an estimated 100 million users. While Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, was designated as an extremist organization and barred shortly after the Ukraine invasion, WhatsApp itself remained unaffected at that time.

Anton Gorelkin, the first deputy chair of the State Duma’s Information Policy Committee, stated last week that WhatsApp may need to prepare to exit the Russian market. He indicated that it is «very likely» WhatsApp will be included on a government list of software from «unfriendly» countries facing new restrictions.

Last week, Putin directed the government to draft proposals by September 1 regarding additional limitations on software use, including «communication services,» from nations deemed «unfriendly» by Russia, such as the United States.

Two sources close to the presidential administration and a State Duma official informed the exiled news outlet Meduza that the blocking of WhatsApp is almost certain, with security services leading the effort.

«There’s a 99% likelihood it will happen,» one Kremlin-affiliated source told Meduza. «They will instruct us to switch to Max [Russia’s new messaging app] for all communications with government or affiliated organizations.»

The new Max messenger, currently in the testing phase, aims to become Russia’s primary messaging platform, akin to how WeChat functions in China, which has been criticized for user surveillance and data sharing with the government.

In addition to basic messaging features, Max intends to integrate functionalities such as signing official documents, processing payments, and facilitating communication with educational institutions and government bodies.

Russian Telegram channels have accused Max of collecting user data, including IP addresses and activity logs, as well as reserving the right to share this information with third parties and government entities.

Max features are not protected by end-to-end encryption, meaning its developers can access user messages and potentially share them with security services.

In the past week, approximately 680 bots have generated over 2,400 comments criticizing WhatsApp and promoting Max as «a secure alternative messaging app» in posts on the social network VKontakte that mention WhatsApp and its potential ban, according to the exiled news outlet Vyorstka, which cited data from the Botnadzor (Bot Watch) project.

While the authorities have yet to finalize a decision on blocking foreign messaging apps, Vyorstka reported that WhatsApp and Telegram have faced at least four brief outages across different regions of Russia since early July. The independent business outlet The Bell noted that these outages were likely deliberate rather than due to technical issues.

In recent weeks, at least 40 Russian regions have experienced mobile internet disruptions as Ukrainian drone strikes have become more frequent, according to the independent media outlet Govorit NeMoskva.

While the most significant disruptions occurred during Victory Day in May and Russia Day in June, people have also reported internet issues during regular days.

Some experts argue that these shutdowns are not solely a response to countering drones but may also serve as testing methods to advance the «sovereignization» of Russia’s internet.

Dmitry Zair-Bek, head of the human rights group Perviy Otdel, suggested that this could elucidate the mobile internet shutdown in the Sverdlovsk region, which has not been targeted by Ukrainian attacks.