Russia experienced brief outages of popular messaging services Telegram and WhatsApp, with the government blaming a cyberattack for the disruption. The Federal media regulator Roskomnadzor claimed that a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack targeting Russia’s telecom operators caused the disruption, but experts suggest that the authorities themselves may have been responsible for attempting to block the services. The attack was repelled, and normal service was restored within an hour, according to Roskomnadzor.
However, experts pointed out that disruptions in other digital platforms like Wikipedia, Discord, Yandex, and VKontakte, as well as outages in Central Asian countries whose network traffic transits through Russia, indicate that Roskomnadzor might have been responsible for the outages. Stanislav Shakirov, technical director of the independent digital rights organization Roskomsvoboda, suggested that the authorities’ attempt to block Telegram might have led to disruptions in other services on the Russian internet, similar to past incidents in 2018.
Filipp Kulin, creator of the Telegram channel Esher II, dismissed Roskomnadzor’s claim of a DDoS attack as “complete nonsense,” stating that organizing a DDoS on every operator would not lead to selective disruptions of specific services. Despite designating Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, as an “extremist” organization in 2022, Russia only blocked access to Meta platforms Instagram and Facebook but did not block WhatsApp, which has over 80 million users in the country. The recent outages coincide with accusations from activist groups that Moscow is increasing internet censorship by targeting online platforms that carry critical information about the Kremlin or its invasion of Ukraine.
In recent weeks, Russian authorities have also started clamping down on YouTube, with users in the country reporting difficulties accessing the popular video-sharing site. These incidents of internet censorship have raised concerns about freedom of expression and access to information in Russia. The government’s actions have sparked criticism from both domestic and international observers, who view the crackdown on digital platforms as an attempt to control the flow of information and suppress dissenting voices.
The disruptions to messaging services highlight the challenges faced by internet users in Russia as the government tightens its grip on online communication. Concerns about government surveillance, censorship, and restrictions on digital platforms have become increasingly prominent in Russia, with activists and civil society organizations calling for greater transparency and accountability in the country’s online landscape. The latest outages serve as a reminder of the ongoing battle between authorities seeking to control the flow of information and users advocating for freedom of expression and access to a free and open internet.
As Russia navigates the complexities of regulating the online space, the incidents of disruption and censorship underscore the broader implications for digital rights and freedom of expression in the country. The government’s efforts to control digital platforms and restrict access to information raise questions about the future of internet freedom in Russia and the impact on democracy and civil liberties. The ongoing tensions between authorities and internet users highlight the importance of upholding human rights standards in the digital sphere and ensuring that all individuals have the ability to freely access information and communicate online without fear of government interference.
