February 23, 2023

Bye-Bye, YouTube?


Bye-Bye, YouTube?
A message in Russian from YouTube saying that a video is blocked in Germany. YouTube, Wikimedia Commons

After invading Ukraine, the Russian government quickly blocked Western social media outlets such as Instagram and Facebook, but not YouTube. On February 17, however, Meduza revealed that the Kremlin is discussing shutting down access to the video platform.

In January, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, declared: "YouTube will be closed soon. And then, those actively using YouTube for their part will be identified and punished after the ban takes effect." While Prigozhin is not a government official, he is a Kremlin insider.

The state-run platform VKontakte (VK) is being updated to compete with the American video platform, and Meduza alleges that the ban won't be implemented until this is completed. VK now controls Medium Quality, which produces widely-viewed Youtube shows such as "Chto Bylo Dalshe?" (What Happened Next) and "Vnutry Lapenko" (Inside Lapenko). The most popular blogger in Russia, the Belarussian Vlad Bumaga, is reportedly leaving YouTube for VK Video.

YouTube has been the home of independent news channels and dissidents fleeing government crackdowns since before the war. In fact, Alexey Navalny, the president of Russia's main political rival, cultivated his base in large part thanks to the video-hosting service

No formal announcement has yet been made about the banning of YouTube in Russia. However, a government source told Meduza: "Our president [Vladimir Putin] definitely doesn't use YouTube and poorly understands how it works. The block is meant as further escalation [with the West]."

Of course, use of a VPN would allow a Russian user to circumvent any ban, and a ban of a high-bandwidth service like YouTube would put a serious strain on VPN apps. Over 35 million VPN downloads were recorded in 2022.

You Might Also Like

AI Will Watch You
  • February 13, 2023

AI Will Watch You

Russian authorities plan to use artificial intelligence to scour the interwebs for undesirable political information.
Meduza Declared Undesirable
  • January 27, 2023

Meduza Declared Undesirable

On January 26, Russia’s Prosecutor General declared the popular publication Meduza an “undesirable” organization.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955