Russia blocks numerous websites, including major social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X), international news outlets (BBC, DW, RFE/RL), and independent media (Meduza), primarily to control information related to the war in Ukraine and dissent, using laws against "fake news" and designating some platforms as "extremist". Russia also targets VPNs and circumvention tools, while blocking sites for gambling, adult content, or anything deemed extremist or promoting illegal activities.
Over 4,450 websites have been blocked in Russia since 2022. Notable website bans: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Snapchat, Discord, The Internet Archive, FBI, CIA, Google News, BBC News, NPR and Roblox.
Since 2008, Russia has maintained a centralized internet blacklist (known as the "single register") administered by the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor). The list is used for the censorship of individual URLs, domain names, and IP addresses.
Now, this situation is different. Russia didn't ban Netflix — it's the other way around. Netflix suspended its service in the country, which, in theory, means you should be able to access it legally. According to our research, Russians use a VPN for Netflix in 2026.
But Snapchat is only the latest of many services that have been blocked by Putin's dictatorship. This week, Roskomnadzor blocked WhatsApp and FaceTime as well. WhatsApp has been among the most used messaging apps in Russia and this ban will reverberate across the country.
Many countries have banned or temporarily limited access to Facebook. Use of the website has also been restricted in various ways in other countries. As of 2024, the only countries to continually ban access to the social networking site are: China, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uganda.
MOSCOW, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Russia has blocked access to Snapchat, state-run news agency RIA reported on Thursday, citing the country's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor.
Facebook and Instagram are already banned in Russia. WhatsApp and Telegram are being restricted. And Vladimir Putin seems to be preparing to promote a new domestic alternative econ.st/484p2HV Illustration: Rose Wong.
In justifying the news, Netflix merely said in a shareholder's letter: “As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix.
As of 2020, there were 203.67 million people paying for a Netflix subscription. Of those people, over 73 million are located in the United States. Unavailable (China,, Crimea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Syria.)
Russia severely restricts free speech. Publishing and distribution of information (including private comments on chats, social media or social apps) related to the Russian leadership, government, government policies, armed forces and any military operations may be considered illegal.
As of September 2020, Russia ranked 47th among the world's countries by the fixed broadband Internet access speed, with an average download speed of 75.91 mbit/s, and 88th by mobile network Internet access speed, with 22.83 mbit/s. According to Freedom House, the Internet in Russia is "Not Free" as of 2019.
Russia-24 was banned in Ukraine, Moldova, the United Kingdom, and the European Union as a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The following items are subject to mandatory declaration and you must obtain permission from particular departments of Russian government if you wish to carry them across Russian borders:
Standard with adverts costs £4.99 a month compared to basic at £7.99. So you'll be saving £3 a month (£36 a year). BUT you'll now see ads before and during selected TV shows and films. Netflix says you can expect to see "a few short ads per hour," though it aims to place them during natural plot breaks.
But why have audiences canceled their subscriptions? One reason for the unprecedented drop in account holders is Netflix's monthly fee, which has been increasing rapidly over the past few years.
How do I cancel Netflix?
Russia has restricted access to WhatsApp for many users, warning that the messaging service could face a nationwide block unless it complies with domestic regulations — the latest step in Moscow's widening crackdown on Western technology.
VK (short for its original name VKontakte; Russian: ВКонтакте, lit. 'InContact') is a Russian online social media and social networking service based in Saint Petersburg. VK is available in multiple languages but it is predominantly used by Russian speakers.
In 2022, Google's local subsidiary was declared bankrupt and the company has stopped offering its commercial services in Russia, such as advertising. However, its products are not completely banned in the country. This development is the latest escalation between Russia and the US tech giant.
Whether or not you can get in trouble for using a VPN depends on what country you're in. If you're in the U.S., VPNs are legal, so no, you can't get into trouble for using them. However, if you're in a country that bans VPNs, like China, then yes, you can get into trouble for using them.
Russian authorities blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple's video calling service, FaceTime, the latest step in an effort to tighten control over the internet and communications online, according to state-run news agencies and the country's communications regulator.