December 01, 2019

Roskmomnadzor Strikes At VPNs, Again


Roskmomnadzor Strikes At VPNs, Again
iPhone resting on top of a Macbook keyboard. SimonWaldherr, Wikimedia Commons.

On July 4, the Russian version of Apple's App Store notified four Virtual Private Network (VPN) companies they would no longer be available on their platform due to pressure from the service supervising communications, Roskomnadzor.

When Russia's War on Ukraine began, the Kremlin cracked down on internet use within its borders. Local and foreign news websites and social media platforms, including all Meta platforms and X/Twitter, were banned in the country. In response, many Russians turned to VPNs to bypass government restrictions and surveillance, and to access forbidden content. 

Roskomnadzor had blocked multiple VPN servers even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, the war has fueled the Kremlin's urgency to tackle any access to independent news sources and "unfriendly" internet content. Proton, Nord, Red Shield, and Le VPN are the latest victims of Roskomnadzor bans. 

In an email shared by Red Shield VPN on X, the App Review said it removed the application from the App Store "because it includes content that is illegal in Russia, which is not in compliance with the App Review Guidelines." The App Review concluded their notification with a suggestion to consult with an attorney or contact Roskomnazor directly.

Since these VPN services are still available in other countries, Red Shield VPN suggested that Russian users change their Apple ID region to continue to access the app. However, experts warned Mediazona that connecting to VPNs will become harder for regular users as Russia attempts to replace global platforms with national copies.

See Also

No More Music

No More Music

So far this year, Yandex.Music has eradicated more than 4000 bits of content.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

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.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

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.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, 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