- Russian telecom operators ask to delay the introduction of VPN traffic fees
- Companies cite technical hurdles
- VPN traffic fees are part of a wider plan to reduce VPN usage in the country
Russian telecom operators have called on the Ministry of Digital Development to postpone the introduction of new fees on VPN traffic.
According to the Moscow-based business daily Vedomost, providers claim technical limitations mean their systems will not be ready for the scheduled May 1 rollout.
In late March, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev instructed operators to levy extra charges on users exceeding 15GB of international data per month.
The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce VPN usage as more residents adopt the technology to bypass blocks on platforms like Telegram.
VPNs function by rerouting traffic through encrypted international servers. This masks a user’s IP address and allows them to bypass domestic censorship to access blocked websites
Technical issues or a fundamental flaw?
Alongside the new fees, Moscow has ordered ISPs to detect and block VPN traffic. These obligations came into force on April 15, with digital rights groups now claiming that the 30 most popular Android apps in the country are already monitoring active VPN connections.
Maxim Katz, a prominent Russian opposition figure who tracks VPN connectivity in the region, says these efforts signal how Roskomnadzor — Russia’s censorship agency — lacks the technical abilities to prevent residents from using VPNs to bypass government-imposed restrictions.
“They cannot do it technically, and now they want the businesses to help them. But the businesses don’t want to help them,” Katz told TechRadar. He also suggested that companies will likely obey the orders, but that, in practice, “actually nothing would change.”
Despite increasing criticism, the Kremlin shows no sign of relenting. Earlier this week, officials announced plans for a ‘whitelist’ of government-approved VPNs, while President Putin defended recent internet outages as a necessary security measure.
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chiara.castro@futurenet.com (Chiara Castro)
