'The largest in history:' Russia blocks over 20 popular VPNs in major
internet crackdown

Date:
Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:05:34 +0000

Description:
Russian users are facing severe internet disruptions as a new wave of government blocks targets over 20 popular VPN services, in what activists are calling the largest attack on digital freedom to date.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter On August 4, users in Russia reported widespread disruptions to 20+ VPNs The attack targets the IPs and entire subnets of major hosting providers On August 5, connectivity appeared to have been restored for some Citizens attempting to bypass Russia's stringent digital censorship are facing fresh obstacles, as a new wave of aggressive government blockages has knocked numerous popular VPN services offline.

On August 4, users across the country reported severe connectivity issues, as reported by Meduza , a Russian independent news outlet. The restrictions appear to have affected more than 20 popular services, making it increasingly difficult for citizens to connect to an open internet. If you rely on circumvention tools to access independent news, finding the best VPN apps
that work in Russia is more crucial than ever. However, this latest blackout suggests the Russian state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, is deploying more sophisticated methods to sever the country's digital
lifelines.

These ongoing blockages are becoming a daily reality for citizens, proving that Russians need a VPN to access Google and Apple as unexplained nationwide outages hit core web infrastructure.

On his Telegram channel , Leonid Volkov, an executive at the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), described the current offensive against independent
services as "the largest in history," though the exact scale of the disruptions remains difficult to quantify. You may like 'The situation isnt looking good' Russia halts VPN fees, but the Kremlin's war against
censorship circumvention tools doubles down Russians need a VPN to access Google and Apple as unexplained nationwide outages hit Russias solution to
its VPN crackdown breaking the internet? A state-owned VPN A new era of internet censorship in Russia The recent outages appear to involve broad, aggressive network restrictions.

According to Russian tech outlet SecurityLab , these new restrictions have targeted the IP addresses and entire subnets of major hosting providers, taking a blunt-force approach to network censorship.

Specifically, Volkov speculated on Telegram that Roskomnadzors enhanced blocking capabilities might stem from data harvesting. He suggested that domestic Russian applications, such as banking and marketplace apps, could be tracking users and feeding a massive database of IP addresses to state
censors for targeted strikes.

This wave coincides with reports that Russia's Ministry of Digital
Development (Mintsifry) is planning to tighten control over corporate VPNs.

Sources suggest the government wants to establish a continuous monitoring mechanism with hosting providers to quickly exclude disguised circumvention tools from a whitelist of permitted corporate IP addresses. This aligns with ongoing fears that Russia's solution to its VPN crackdown is a state-owned
VPN . What to read next Russian Roskomnadzor accused of launching active DDoS attacks on VPN services here's what we know so far Amnezia VPN restores premium service in Russia following devastating state-sponsored cyberattack Russian official admits completely banning VPNs is 'simply impossible'
because it would hurt banks and businesses but he still doesn't want people accessing blocked websites and social media (Image credit: Getty Images)
Paper VPN is among the services publicly acknowledging connectivity issues , with some users reporting completely broken connections while others simply experience slower speeds.

In a post published on Wednesday (August 5), the company confirms that "the connection has been restored for most users."

Amnezia VPN which recently strengthened its apps to fight Russia's new approach to VPN blocking was caught up in the government's wider summer crackdown. The provider previously restored its premium service in Russia following a devastating state-sponsored cyberattack that lasted a month and a half.

Regarding the August 4 wave, however, the provider stated on its channels
that its service is "working reliably" in Russia.

"Friends, over the past two days we have seen many reports of massive blockages of other VPNs. Not long ago this happened to us, but the new wave did not affect us," wrote Amnezia VPN, adding that the team is also currently testing a new "Greenland" location for bypassing whitelists.

TechRadar has reached out to the provider for further comment on the current situation. We will update this story as we learn more. Today's best VPN deals NordVPN 2 Year $3.49 /mth View +3 months free Surfshark 24 Months $2.49 /mth View Proton VPN $2.99 /mth View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/the-largest-in-history-russ ia-blocks-over-20-popular-vpns-in-major-internet-crackdown


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