Unprecedented Crackdown on VPN Usage
In late March 2026, Russia's Ministry of Digital Development held a meeting with executives from over 20 major Russian companies, including Sberbank, Yandex, VK, Wildberries, Ozon, Gazprom-Media, and Avito. The companies were given a clear deadline: block access for users connecting via VPN by April 15.
Severe Consequences for Non-Compliance
Companies whose services remain accessible through VPN connections face losing their IT accreditation and being removed from government white lists. A government resolution for monitoring VPN accessibility of services is expected by April 15.
Technical Challenges
The companies received guidelines on detecting and blocking VPN traffic, including methods for identifying services not previously flagged by Roskomnadzor. However, experts warn that reliably distinguishing corporate VPN traffic from personal VPN usage remains technically problematic, raising concerns about false positives that could disrupt legitimate business operations.
Additional Restrictions
The Ministry has also instructed mobile operators to block the ability to top up Apple ID balances from mobile phone accounts. By May 1, operators must introduce charges for consuming more than 15 GB of international traffic per month.
What This Means for Users
These measures represent a significant escalation in Russia's efforts to control internet access. Users who rely on VPN services for privacy, security, or accessing international content will need to choose VPN providers with advanced anti-detection technology capable of bypassing deep packet inspection systems.