Russia’s censorship agency, Roskomnadzor, is set to conduct a test in December to determine if the country can disconnect from the global internet. The exercise will occur in specific regions to assess the readiness of Russia’s own internet, known as RuNet, in case it needs to be isolated from the global network. Roskomnadzor’s press service said the exercise would involve working with communication operators to evaluate the effectiveness of key replacement infrastructure.
The tests are designed to ensure that both foreign and Russian services remain available, even under conditions of deliberate external disruptions. This move aligns with a law passed by Russia’s parliament in 2018, which grants the government authority to control internet infrastructure within the country to maintain security. In recent years, Roskomnadzor has blocked numerous domain names and IP addresses in efforts to maintain the repressive regime’s control over its citizens.
This includes banning software used to circumvent internet filtering in Russia. The censorship comes amid growing tensions and conflict, with many independent Russian news outlets being blocked since the invasion of Ukraine. Despite these restrictions, many Russians continue to access banned information using VPN services.
The development of RuNet has been a crucial part of Russia’s cyber strategy, emphasizing the need for a self-sufficient internet that can be isolated if necessary. Russia’s media censor, Roskomnadzor, has blocked thousands of local websites that use an encryption feature from the U.S. company Cloudflare, designed to improve privacy and security for internet users. The websites were blocked overnight on Oct.
6, and all of them use a security feature called Encrypted Client Hello (ECH), which protects user information during the initial stages of a secure connection. ECH makes it more difficult for third parties to track which sites users are visiting. Roskomnadzor urged Russian website owners to stop using Cloudflare’s Content Delivery Network (CDN) service, as the company recently enabled the default use of the ECH extension.
This technology is a way to bypass restrictions on access to information that’s banned in Russia. Using it goes against Russian law,” Roskomnadzor said. The Russian internet regulator also recommended local website owners switch to domestic CDN services, which are systems of distributed servers designed to deliver web content more quickly and efficiently.
Domestic CDN services ensure reliable and secure operation of websites and protect them against cyberattacks,” Roskomnadzor added. This is one of the latest actions by Russian censors to prevent citizens from freely accessing information. Earlier this year, Roskomnadzor reportedly pressured the U.S. tech giant Apple to remove dozens of virtual private network (VPN) services from the Russian App Store, as they allowed citizens to access the web while bypassing government censorship.
The Russian government has also blocked most Western social networks and news media, as well as local opposition media outlets, from access through Russian IP addresses. The new restrictions would further limit the information available to Russian citizens online. Russia has long aimed to isolate its internet and replace foreign technology with domestic alternatives.
However, while transitioning to homegrown hardware and software is appealing for an authoritarian regime, the implementation faces many obstacles, including high costs and a lack of suitable domestic alternatives.
Roskomnadzor evaluates RuNet’s autonomy
The Russian government’s tightening grip on media and individual expression is coming under increasing scrutiny as new censorship laws target not just political dissent but personal choices.
This expansion is occurring against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine, which will enter its third year in February. With the war continuing, the death toll is rising, morale is falling on both sides, and international condemnation further isolates Russia. Information warfare has become an integral part of Russia’s tactics, with new and invasive censorship laws being adopted to control the narrative.
The first of these new laws were introduced in March 2022, just after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These laws made “public actions aimed at discrediting” Russian Armed Forces illegal. Two key articles form the base of these laws: Article 20.3.3, an administrative law imposing fines starting at 30,000 roubles (approximately $430 CAD); and Article 20.8, under the criminal code, allowing imprisonment of up to seven years.
These laws are purposefully vague, giving the Russian government broad jurisdiction over its citizens’ freedom of expression. People have faced severe consequences for seemingly minor actions. Wearing blue and yellow clothing, colors associated with Ukraine, can draw penalties.
One father was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after his teen daughter’s anti-war drawings led to the discovery of his social media posts criticizing the invasion. Another woman was held indefinitely in a psychiatric hospital after she criticized the Russian invasion. Further tightening its control, the Russian parliament is examining new legislation that would outlaw propaganda promoting a “childless lifestyle,” with fines as high as five million roubles (approximately $718 CAD).
This proposed law, though still vague, raises concerns about its impact on discussions of postpartum depression and health awareness. It comes amidst record-low birth rates in Russia and high mortality rates, exacerbated by casualties in the war. The Kremlin, facing a demographic crisis, aims to increase birth rates to sustain its war efforts.
Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, emphasized that increasing Russia’s birth rate is a top government priority. With battlefield deaths now including many civilian volunteers, the declining birth rate, and an aging population, the proposed laws represent a critical step for the government. However, these laws would also grant the Kremlin unprecedented control over women’s autonomy, turning personal choices into state directives and limiting public discourse on women’s health and experiences.
The expansion of Russia’s legal censorship reflects the state’s need for a strong, unified society supporting the war effort. Despite the international community’s opposition, evidenced by the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution demanding unconditional Russian withdrawal from Ukraine, the Kremlin continues to suppress dissent. A January 2024 poll by the independent Levada Center showed that over half of Russians preferred negotiations over continued military action, and a significant portion believed Russia was “moving in the wrong direction” and paying too much for the war.
These responses target the Kremlin’s censorship efforts, highlighting the public’s wavering support. The sweeping censorship laws expose the government’s lack of internal legitimacy and growing paranoia. They extend control over the most personal aspects of citizens’ lives, making every choice, conversation, and action subject to scrutiny.
In its quest to support the war effort, the Kremlin has turned the Russian home front into a battlefield, threatening the rights of the very individuals on whom the war’s success depends.
