Support The Moscow Times!

Russia's Top Mobile Operators Call to Revoke New Anti-Terrorism Laws

The heads of Russia’s top mobile phone operators — MTS, MegaFon, VympelCom and Tele2 — have spoken out against new amendments to Russia's anti-terrorist legislation, the Kommersant newspaper reported Monday.

In a joint letter to Valentina Matvienko, the head of Russia’s Federation Council, the companies claimed that new requirements to store user data for six months were “technically and economically impractical.” The companies asked Matvienko to reject the changes, Kommersant reported.

The storage of voice information and other user data for six months would cost operators 2.2 trillion rubles ($33.8 billion) and would lead to increasing tariffs and poorer connection quality, the letter said. The risk that such data could be illegally accessed would also create a threat to national security, the companies claimed.

The controversial amendments, introduced by ultraconservative United Russia lawmaker Irina Yarovaya, were approved by the State Duma last week.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more