Muscovites are turning to walkie-talkies and pagers as unexplained internet disruptions hit the capital, with the Kremlin appearing to ramp up control over online activity. Users in central Moscow and St Petersburg first reported difficulties accessing mobile internet about a week ago, with many unable to load websites or apps, and some losing service entirely.
The Kremlin said the outages were introduced to 'ensure security' and would remain 'as long as additional measures are necessary', without providing further details. Human rights activists suggest the shutdown could be linked to testing a new 'whitelist' system, under which only government-approved websites and essential services would remain accessible.
The disruptions have hit courier services, taxi apps, and retail businesses hard. Russia's business daily Kommersant estimated losses could reach about 1bn roubles (£9.4m) a day. The outages even reached the State Duma, where lawmakers complained that mobile networks and wifi were not working inside the building.
Faced with the disruptions, Russians have turned to older communication methods. Sales of walkie-talkies have risen by 27% and pagers by 73%, while demand for paper maps of Moscow has nearly tripled, according to data from e-commerce platform Wildberries & Russ.
The shutdown comes amid a renewed crackdown on Russia's online space. Authorities have already blocked WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, and there are rumours that Telegram could face restrictions next month. A Russian lawmaker said security services could gain the ability to limit VPN traffic within six months.
