This is reported by Kyiv24
Since the onset of the full-scale war against Ukraine, the Russian Federation has significantly intensified internet censorship, surveillance, and restrictions in the online space both within Russia and in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. This is stated in a new report by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) titled “Destroyed, Restricted, and Blocked: State Censorship, Control, and Increased Isolation of Internet Users in Russia.”
Increased Blocking and Access Restrictions
According to HRW, the Kremlin is actively implementing increasingly powerful technological tools for total control over the internet. This allows for the opaque blocking of thousands of websites, restricting access to undesirable online resources, and even shutting down the internet under the guise of ensuring public safety. Both independent media and human rights organizations, as well as the pages of opposition politicians and popular social networks that do not comply with strict Russian legal requirements, have been subjected to blocking.
Many foreign online platforms and services, including Instagram and Facebook, have become inaccessible in Russia due to political pressure and sanctions after 2022. To bypass these blocks, Russian citizens are forced to resort to VPN services; however, about half of the population lacks the necessary skills to use such tools. Authorities deliberately block VPN services while promoting Russian alternatives—browsers and social networks that are state-controlled and disseminate government-friendly content.
Internet Control and Pressure on Technology Companies
HRW reports that the Kremlin has also intensified pressure on international IT companies such as Apple, Google, and Mozilla, forcing them to remove VPN tools and content deemed “dangerous” by the government. Under the threat of fines and blocking, companies must comply with the demands of the Russian authorities.
Furthermore, the Russian Federation has consolidated control over internet infrastructure: half of the IP addresses in the country belong to seven state providers, and the number of independent internet providers has been reduced. The authorities have also implemented a national domain name system, allowing for even stricter control over the internet space.
“Regions of Ukraine occupied by Russia before and after the onset of the full-scale invasion in February 2022 are subject to the same online censorship and internet barriers,” notes HRW.
Human Rights Watch emphasizes that such a system of online restrictions is now also applied in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Local residents face identical barriers to accessing independent information, and their personal data is at risk of being handed over to law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation.
The organization calls on the Russian Federation to stop censoring the internationally protected right to freedom of expression online and to ensure that any restrictions are lawful, necessary, and proportionate. HRW underscores the importance of resistance from both international and Russian IT companies against illegal censorship and demands for user data transfer.
Additionally, HRW urges Western governments, international, and intergovernmental organizations to support the development and implementation of tools to bypass state censorship, allowing citizens to access independent information.
In May 2025, Vladimir Putin instructed the government to consider introducing additional restrictions on software from so-called “unfriendly countries.” Relevant proposals are to be presented by the beginning of September 2025.