Society
The Cat and Mouse Game of Internet Censorship and Circumvention in Russia
June 27, 2025
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Natalia Garina
Lawyer specializing in digital, media, and international law
Lawyer Natalia Garina describes how Russians have turned to VPNs and other circumvention tools to access the ever-increasing amount of blocked content and how the government has responded by cracking down on these tools. This creates growing risks for users trying to stay connected, she argues.
Russia is growing increasingly isolated from independent and foreign sources of information. According to a Levada center survey, in March one third of respondents in Russia reported being unable to access familiar digital services. For many, circumvention tools, like virtual private networks (VPNs), are essential for accessing blocked social media and news websites. Even though the government continues to develop increasingly effective methods to eliminate VPN usage for circumventing censorship, users are finding ways to stay connected: VPN users rose to 36%, marking an increase of 11 percentage points compared to March 2024.
Ekaterina Mizulina, head of the Safe Internet League, Russia's censorship lobbying group. Source: Source: VK
Growing reliance on VPNs as a digital survival tool
The first attempts to restrict online information in Russia date back to 2012, when the authorities began blocking websites by their IP addresses for disseminating “illegal content.” Over time, the list of prohibited material expanded to dozens of specific types of information, ranging from extremist statements to LGBT-related news articles.
Restrictions culminated in the mass blocking of websites and independent media outlets after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2022, this affected more than 247,000 websites or internet pages, including Russian and foreign media outlets.
That same year, Meta was designated an extremist organization, and the social networks Facebook and Instagram were banned. Programs and work tools such as Slack, Adobe, Netflix, Google Workspace and others either restricted access themselves or suspended operations in Russia. The demand for VPN services rose sharply, with VPN downloads peaking in mid-March 2022.
In the first half of 2024, YouTube remained one of the most popular and still-accessible social networks in Russia, accessed by around 50% of internet users. However, in August 2024, the authorities started throttling YouTube. Later that year, popular messaging apps like Discord, Viber and Signal were also rendered inaccessible.
By January of this year, YouTube had been almost completely blocked. According to a Google chart showing the share of regional traffic relative to global traffic, in May its traffic from Russia dropped to around 10% compared with around 43% in July 2024.
For Russians who want to maintain regular access to YouTube, relying on circumvention tools has become essential and, despite government blocking, YouTube’s audience remains significant. Mediascope, a firm that analyzes media consumption in Russia, estimated YouTube’s audience in Russia at 22.4% daily and 64.6% monthly as of April (these figures may be underestimated, as many users access YouTube via VPN, which masks their location and may exclude them from standard traffic measurements).
What are the main circumvention tools?
The most popular tool to bypass the Russian government’s censorship is a VPN, which creates an encrypted connection between a user’s device and a server. It provides anonymity and security, allowing to get around geographic restrictions. Some VPNs use additional obfuscation technologies to hide the fact that a VPN is being used.
A proxy acts as an intermediary between a device and a website and routs traffic through a proxy server, which can hide user’s IP address from the destination website.
TOR, a multi-layered network that routes traffic through random servers in its own network and then sends traffic to the public internet, is another anonymity tool.
Users can also turn to specialized browsers, for example, Ceno, which uses a decentralized file-sharing network.
There are still other methods to circumvent government blocking, such as router reconfiguration and specialized VPN-enabled routers.
On the supply side, blocked media often create mirrors, which represent copies of blocked websites hosted on different domains or servers. Mirrors, however, are usually quickly blocked by censors.
VPN usage patterns and statistics
The first attempts to restrict online information in Russia date back to 2012, when the authorities began blocking websites by their IP addresses for disseminating “illegal content.” Over time, the list of prohibited material expanded to dozens of specific types of information, ranging from extremist statements to LGBT-related news articles.
Restrictions culminated in the mass blocking of websites and independent media outlets after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In 2022, this affected more than 247,000 websites or internet pages, including Russian and foreign media outlets.
That same year, Meta was designated an extremist organization, and the social networks Facebook and Instagram were banned. Programs and work tools such as Slack, Adobe, Netflix, Google Workspace and others either restricted access themselves or suspended operations in Russia. The demand for VPN services rose sharply, with VPN downloads peaking in mid-March 2022.
In the first half of 2024, YouTube remained one of the most popular and still-accessible social networks in Russia, accessed by around 50% of internet users. However, in August 2024, the authorities started throttling YouTube. Later that year, popular messaging apps like Discord, Viber and Signal were also rendered inaccessible.
By January of this year, YouTube had been almost completely blocked. According to a Google chart showing the share of regional traffic relative to global traffic, in May its traffic from Russia dropped to around 10% compared with around 43% in July 2024.
For Russians who want to maintain regular access to YouTube, relying on circumvention tools has become essential and, despite government blocking, YouTube’s audience remains significant. Mediascope, a firm that analyzes media consumption in Russia, estimated YouTube’s audience in Russia at 22.4% daily and 64.6% monthly as of April (these figures may be underestimated, as many users access YouTube via VPN, which masks their location and may exclude them from standard traffic measurements).
What are the main circumvention tools?
The most popular tool to bypass the Russian government’s censorship is a VPN, which creates an encrypted connection between a user’s device and a server. It provides anonymity and security, allowing to get around geographic restrictions. Some VPNs use additional obfuscation technologies to hide the fact that a VPN is being used.
A proxy acts as an intermediary between a device and a website and routs traffic through a proxy server, which can hide user’s IP address from the destination website.
TOR, a multi-layered network that routes traffic through random servers in its own network and then sends traffic to the public internet, is another anonymity tool.
Users can also turn to specialized browsers, for example, Ceno, which uses a decentralized file-sharing network.
There are still other methods to circumvent government blocking, such as router reconfiguration and specialized VPN-enabled routers.
On the supply side, blocked media often create mirrors, which represent copies of blocked websites hosted on different domains or servers. Mirrors, however, are usually quickly blocked by censors.
VPN usage patterns and statistics
“VPN downloads peaked in mid-March 2022. Several more spikes occurred later that year and in 2023, when the authorities blocked popular VPNs and with the start of partial mobilization in September 2022.”
Source: Levada Center
According to VPN providers, downloads in Russia tripled in 2022 compared to 2021, before dropping sharply in the first half of 2023 and leveling off the rest of the year.
Increasing downloads of circumvention tools were registered following the blocking of Viber in December 2024 and the throttling of YouTube in August 2024. According to the investigative outlet Agentstvo, in January 2025, search queries for VPNs increased 150% in one week and downloads jumped 200-300%.
In March 2025, 36% of Russians reported using VPNs regularly or occasionally, up from 25% in March 2024.
Those most likely to use VPNs include young people (62% of Russians aged 18-24 use VPNs regularly or occasionally), more educated, higher-income individuals and those opposed to or distrustful of the government.
Overall, survey data indicates that circumventing restrictions using VPNs has become a widespread practice.
Repressive laws and crackdown on circumvention tools
As government blocking expanded and circumvention tools became increasingly popular, the Russian authorities responded by restricting access to VPNs. The pro-government Safe Internet League insists that the restrictions are intended to protect internet users: VPN services, it claims, can lead to personal data loss and children’s accessing dangerous websites.
Increasing downloads of circumvention tools were registered following the blocking of Viber in December 2024 and the throttling of YouTube in August 2024. According to the investigative outlet Agentstvo, in January 2025, search queries for VPNs increased 150% in one week and downloads jumped 200-300%.
In March 2025, 36% of Russians reported using VPNs regularly or occasionally, up from 25% in March 2024.
Those most likely to use VPNs include young people (62% of Russians aged 18-24 use VPNs regularly or occasionally), more educated, higher-income individuals and those opposed to or distrustful of the government.
Overall, survey data indicates that circumventing restrictions using VPNs has become a widespread practice.
Repressive laws and crackdown on circumvention tools
As government blocking expanded and circumvention tools became increasingly popular, the Russian authorities responded by restricting access to VPNs. The pro-government Safe Internet League insists that the restrictions are intended to protect internet users: VPN services, it claims, can lead to personal data loss and children’s accessing dangerous websites.
“Russia made its first attempt to regulate circumvention tools by adopting a law requiring anonymizers and VPN services to block access to prohibited content and allowing the authorities to block anonymizers and services if they refused to comply.”
Since March 1, 2024, it has been illegal to share information about circumvention tools, including scientific, technical and statistical information. The ban covers VPNs and materials such as user guides, instructions and advertisements mentioning the advantages of such services. For example, a news article listing reliable VPN services for accessing blocked websites is prohibited. Websites publishing such content can be blocked and individuals or organizations may face significant fines.
However, VPN technology itself is not banned and can still be used for secure banking, remote work and corporate networks – as long as it is not used to access restricted content.
People are not currently fined or otherwise punished for using VPNs, but that could change.
This year, Russia expanded its use of deep packet inspection (DPI), which enables the authorities to block VPN protocols directly. DPI systems can detect when a user tries to connect to a VPN and block the connection. This new method of blocking has made it significantly harder for circumvention tools to function in Russia, and users must constantly adapt to get around censorship, relying on obfuscated VPNs, which disguise traffic patterns and mask the destination of the request.
In April, Roskomnadzor required telecom operators to report users’ data, including IP addresses, geolocation, internet access times, device type and DPI systems identifiers (TSPU), when they visit banned websites. Though Roskomnadzor claimed that private information would not be collected, digital rights groups warn this measure could expand VPN blocking and enable real-time tracking of users’ online activity.
Many of the most popular VPN services and circumvention tools, including ProtonVPN, NordVPN, AdGuard VPN, Psiphon, Lantern, RedShield, TurboVPN, Surfshark and others, are now blocked in Russia. Roskomnadzor shut down 197 VPN services in 2024 alone. TOR, used by roughly a tenth of as many users as VPNs, was blocked in Russia in December 2021, unblocked and then blocked again. In 2023, Russia started disabling specific VPN protocols such as OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard, making it more difficult for users to switch between services.
From January to April 2025, Roskomnadzor restricted access to 12,600 materials promoting VPN services, twice the number of such materials blocked in all of 2024.
To enforce the measures, Roskomnadzor has sent takedown requests to Apple and Google. Between March 12 and April 1, 2025, it issued 214 requests to Google to remove 212 VPN and similar apps. Additionally, it submitted additional requests to remove URL search requests. Still, at least 346 VPN apps remain available on Russia’s Google Play.
However, VPN technology itself is not banned and can still be used for secure banking, remote work and corporate networks – as long as it is not used to access restricted content.
People are not currently fined or otherwise punished for using VPNs, but that could change.
This year, Russia expanded its use of deep packet inspection (DPI), which enables the authorities to block VPN protocols directly. DPI systems can detect when a user tries to connect to a VPN and block the connection. This new method of blocking has made it significantly harder for circumvention tools to function in Russia, and users must constantly adapt to get around censorship, relying on obfuscated VPNs, which disguise traffic patterns and mask the destination of the request.
In April, Roskomnadzor required telecom operators to report users’ data, including IP addresses, geolocation, internet access times, device type and DPI systems identifiers (TSPU), when they visit banned websites. Though Roskomnadzor claimed that private information would not be collected, digital rights groups warn this measure could expand VPN blocking and enable real-time tracking of users’ online activity.
Many of the most popular VPN services and circumvention tools, including ProtonVPN, NordVPN, AdGuard VPN, Psiphon, Lantern, RedShield, TurboVPN, Surfshark and others, are now blocked in Russia. Roskomnadzor shut down 197 VPN services in 2024 alone. TOR, used by roughly a tenth of as many users as VPNs, was blocked in Russia in December 2021, unblocked and then blocked again. In 2023, Russia started disabling specific VPN protocols such as OpenVPN, IKEv2 and WireGuard, making it more difficult for users to switch between services.
From January to April 2025, Roskomnadzor restricted access to 12,600 materials promoting VPN services, twice the number of such materials blocked in all of 2024.
To enforce the measures, Roskomnadzor has sent takedown requests to Apple and Google. Between March 12 and April 1, 2025, it issued 214 requests to Google to remove 212 VPN and similar apps. Additionally, it submitted additional requests to remove URL search requests. Still, at least 346 VPN apps remain available on Russia’s Google Play.
These actions reflect the tightening environment around VPN usage in Russia. Roskomnadzor blocks VPN services that are not connected to its information system and do not restrict access to prohibited websites. But even if a VPN blocks access to prohibited websites, it is advised to comply with Russian state standards (GOST), and foreign encryption protocols used in VPNs do not meet these. Companies using foreign VPNs are encouraged to submit IP addresses, protocols and their purposes for inclusion of these tools in an official white list.
Very recently, digital rights activists have flagged that popular resources like Cloudflare are being blocked, likely based on Roskomnadzor’s white list.
The safety dilemma
Circumvention tools not only help bypass censorship but also offer stronger protection, preventing users’ data from being collected and their online activity tracked by advertisers and governments and reducing the risk of cyberattacks. However, if these tools are unsecure, they can pose serious risks, especially in high-surveillance environments like Russia.
For most Russians, the main goal of using VPNs and similar tools is to access blocked websites and apps. Regular users – unlike journalists, IT professionals and human rights advocates – generally show little concern for safety or privacy, which puts them at risk of data leaks, deception by malicious actors or government persecution.
To circumvent censorship, Russian users cannot rely on domestic VPN services. As mentioned above, these VPNs must comply with Russian censorship laws, meaning access to restricted websites will still be blocked. In addition, providers most likely follow GOST encryption standards with certification from the FSB. Therefore, users must use foreign or open-source circumvention tools.
Users often prefer free and easy-to-use tools. But free VPNs can pose risks, such as selling information to third parties and weak encryption, exposing data to interception and surveillance. Fake VPN apps may contain malware and redirect users to fake websites to steal credentials.
This is particularly concerning if, like in China, VPN usage becomes punishable by fines. In that case, privacy and confidentiality would become paramount, and users would likely turn to privacy-focused tools that offer strong encryption.
However, these tools may be detected and blocked through advanced methods such as DPI.
Future scenarios
One potential scenario is the Chinese model, where end users could be held accountable for using VPNs to access banned websites. It is possible that many users would cease to use circumvention tools out of fear, unless new, safer tools emerge.
Another scenario is that the government will continue its crackdown on circumvention tools, targeting technologies and service providers. If so, major technology providers may fully exit Russia, leaving only specialized tools behind.
Very recently, digital rights activists have flagged that popular resources like Cloudflare are being blocked, likely based on Roskomnadzor’s white list.
The safety dilemma
Circumvention tools not only help bypass censorship but also offer stronger protection, preventing users’ data from being collected and their online activity tracked by advertisers and governments and reducing the risk of cyberattacks. However, if these tools are unsecure, they can pose serious risks, especially in high-surveillance environments like Russia.
For most Russians, the main goal of using VPNs and similar tools is to access blocked websites and apps. Regular users – unlike journalists, IT professionals and human rights advocates – generally show little concern for safety or privacy, which puts them at risk of data leaks, deception by malicious actors or government persecution.
To circumvent censorship, Russian users cannot rely on domestic VPN services. As mentioned above, these VPNs must comply with Russian censorship laws, meaning access to restricted websites will still be blocked. In addition, providers most likely follow GOST encryption standards with certification from the FSB. Therefore, users must use foreign or open-source circumvention tools.
Users often prefer free and easy-to-use tools. But free VPNs can pose risks, such as selling information to third parties and weak encryption, exposing data to interception and surveillance. Fake VPN apps may contain malware and redirect users to fake websites to steal credentials.
This is particularly concerning if, like in China, VPN usage becomes punishable by fines. In that case, privacy and confidentiality would become paramount, and users would likely turn to privacy-focused tools that offer strong encryption.
However, these tools may be detected and blocked through advanced methods such as DPI.
Future scenarios
One potential scenario is the Chinese model, where end users could be held accountable for using VPNs to access banned websites. It is possible that many users would cease to use circumvention tools out of fear, unless new, safer tools emerge.
Another scenario is that the government will continue its crackdown on circumvention tools, targeting technologies and service providers. If so, major technology providers may fully exit Russia, leaving only specialized tools behind.
“Technology-savvy users will likely find ways to stay connected, but the average citizen will stop trying and become increasingly cut off from the outside world.”
Experts have suggested that VPN access in Russia may eventually require official authorization.
A third scenario is the complete isolation of Russian segment of internet, like North Korea. The government would disrupt or destroy structural and informational links with the global internet.
What can be stated with certainty is that the Kremlin will not stop targeting circumvention tools and that Russians will have to adapt to future restrictions if they wish to remain connected to the outside online world.
A third scenario is the complete isolation of Russian segment of internet, like North Korea. The government would disrupt or destroy structural and informational links with the global internet.
What can be stated with certainty is that the Kremlin will not stop targeting circumvention tools and that Russians will have to adapt to future restrictions if they wish to remain connected to the outside online world.
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