Overview
- Russian authorities have moved to slow their Telegram blockade to ease social pressure, though wider platform bans and new steps against VPNs still stand.
- Independent tests cited by multiple outlets show Telegram remains hard to reach in Russia, with about 95% of attempts to sign up or connect failing, according to OONI monitoring data.
- A broader anti‑VPN drive now locks out users on key Russian sites such as the state portal Gosuslugi and platforms like Ozon and Kinopoisk, and new filters were linked to a large digital payments outage.
- Public anger has broken through after a viral video from influencer Viktoria Bonya, drawing a response from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said the restrictions serve security needs and would ease only after the war ends.
- The crackdown is carrying political costs as state pollster VTsIOM reports a weeks‑long slide in Vladimir Putin’s approval to about 66.7%, with analysts noting rifts over enforcement by Roskomnadzor and the FSB ahead of September’s Duma elections.