<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/12/russia-internet-blackouts-walkie-talkies-moscow>
"Muscovites have been turning to walkie-talkies and pagers amid unexplained
disruptions to internet services in the capital, as the Kremlin appears to ramp
up control over online activity in Russia.
Users in central Moscow, as well as in St Petersburg, first reported
difficulties accessing mobile internet about a week ago. Many said they were
unable to load websites or apps, while some lost service altogether, leaving
them unable to make phone calls.
The Kremlin said this week that the outages were being introduced to “ensure
security” and would remain in place “as long as additional measures are
necessary”, without providing further details about the reasons behind the
restrictions.
For months, users across Russia have complained about widespread mobile
internet shutdowns, though the disruptions have drawn far less scrutiny than
those now affecting Moscow’s inner centre, the country’s political and economic
hub.
The outages were a “massive headache”, said Dmitry, a 31-year-old consultant in
Moscow. “I’m having trouble ordering a taxi, sending work emails, or even just
messaging my family.”
Human rights activists said the shutdown could be linked to Moscow testing a
new so-called “whitelist” system, under which only a limited number of
government-approved websites and essential online services would remain
accessible to Russians.
Officials in Moscow previously said the “whitelist” of available websites would
include “all resources needed for life”, including marketplaces, delivery
services and online pharmacies. But observers say the system would dramatically
censor Russians’ access to the wider web."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
