Russian government ordered Moscow internet shutdown amid 'security concerns,' independent media reports
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As internet access in Moscow reportedly begins to stabilize following a three-week disruption, independent Russian media outlet The Bell reported on March 24, citing sources in the local IT sector, that the directive to impose the blackout originated from the Russian government.
According to The Bell's sources, the Scientific and Technical Service Department of the Russian Security Service (FSB) received orders "from above" to shutdown the internet in response to unspecified security threats.
The source informed The Bell that the FSB gave internet providers a map marking the areas in Moscow where the internet should be turned off but also "hinted in every possible way" that it was not their decision.
Russian authorities introduced in early March a "whitelist" system that allowed access only to selected websites during ongoing mobile internet outages. The accessible websites included pro-government social media, outlets, and official state websites.
They initially claimed that the internet shutdown in Moscow was to test the new system but some officials are saying it was related to unspecified security threats, according to The Bell. Internet outages have since been reported in St. Petersburg.
The nearly month-lonth issue with internet was the first time since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine that the Russian capital was impacted.
Russia has also intensified its pressure on messaging platforms. In the summer of 2025, the country’s telecommunications regulator began blocking voice calls on Telegram. Officials are now moving toward a full ban on the messaging app, which could take effect as early as April.
The criteria used to determine which areas of Moscow would experience internet shutdowns were not clear, according to sources cited by The Bell. At least two of the affected areas appeared to correspond with locations where air defense systems have been deployed. However, other known deployment sites were not reflected on the map.
Given what officials may view as the relative "success" of the shutdown, similar measures could be implemented again in major cities like Moscow, according to The Bell.
