Overview
- Mobile data across most of the capital has been largely unusable for nearly two weeks, knocking out access to many apps and sites outside Wi‑Fi.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the measures comply with the law and will remain in place as long as needed to protect public safety.
- Payments, taxi and delivery services, maps and messaging have stalled on phones; residents have turned to walkie‑talkies and paper maps to cope.
- Business losses in Moscow were estimated at 3–5 billion rubles in the first five days of restrictions, according to Kommersant.
- The clampdown follows a year of curbs on WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube, promotion of the state‑linked MAX messenger, and reports of expanded security perimeters and air‑defence units around presidential residences.