Moscow – Russia has significantly escalated its campaign to control the domestic internet, passing sweeping legislation that criminalizes searches for "extremist" content and blocking a major international web service, further isolating its citizens from the global digital commons. These moves in late July 2025 are the latest in a series of government-led initiatives aimed at creating a "sovereign internet," drawing sharp criticism from human rights organizations.
On July 22, the Russian State Duma approved a bill imposing fines of up to $64 for deliberate online searches for materials deemed "extremist." The legislation casts a wide net, with the definition of "extremist" content including materials from opposition groups like the Anti-Corruption Foundation and information related to what authorities have labeled the "international LGBT movement." The same law intensifies the crackdown on tools that circumvent censorship, imposing heavy fines for the promotion or use of virtual private networks (vpns) to access prohibited websites. Penalties can range from approximately $640 to over $6,000.
Days later, on July 30, Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, blocked Speedtest, a popular internet performance tool operated by the U.S. company Ookla. The agency cited unspecified "threats to the country's internet infrastructure and security" for the block, advising citizens to use a government-supported alternative called ProSet.
The pressure extends to global technology and communication platforms. The messaging service WhatsApp faces a potential ban after its parent company, Meta, was previously designated an "extremist organization" by Russian courts. Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of Russia’s IT committee, suggested the company should "prepare to leave" the market. Meanwhile, foreign companies that fail to comply with Russian internet regulations face financial penalties, as seen on July 29 when a Moscow court fined Zoom Communications nearly $1 million.
These recent actions are rooted in a long-standing government policy, institutionalized by the 2019 “sovereign internet” law. The law's stated aim is to build the technical infrastructure for a self-contained and state-controlled Russian internet segment, known as “RuNet,” that can function independently of the global network. To achieve this, the government has consolidated control over the country's internet backbone, taking over more than half of Russian ip addresses through seven state-aligned providers and establishing its own national domain name system.
Human rights groups have condemned the escalating censorship, which they say has intensified dramatically since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Human Rights Watch reported on July 30 that Russian authorities have blocked thousands of websites, including those of independent media outlets, and are systematically targeting vpn usage to curb access to information. This digital crackdown is seen by observers as a key tool for controlling the narrative around geopolitical conflicts and suppressing domestic dissent.
Russia's latest measures represent a significant tightening of state control over its digital landscape. By criminalizing the search for information, blocking access to international tools, and pressuring foreign tech companies, Moscow is accelerating its push toward a splintered and heavily monitored internet, raising profound concerns for freedom of expression and the free flow of information within the country.