Support The Moscow Times!

Google Restricts Account Creation in Russia, Digital Ministry Says

Firmbee.com / unsplash

Google has restricted the creation of new accounts inside Russia, state media reported Thursday, citing Russia’s Digital Communications Ministry.

Authorities said that Telecom operators reported a “significant decrease in the number of SMS messages sent by” Google to users in Russia, referring to messages the tech company uses to verify new account creation.

While two-factor authentication via SMS for existing Google accounts remains functional, the Digital Communications Ministry warned that this service may not continue indefinitely. It advised users to back up their data, consider switching to alternative authentication methods or move to domestic services instead of Google.

Earlier this month, users in Russia reported that they could no longer register new Google accounts using Russian phone numbers. However, according to some reports, problems with that began months earlier.

Meanwhile, in August, Russian users began experiencing widespread outages on YouTube, followed by slower loading speeds across the country.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, authorities have accused YouTube and Google of spreading “terrorist” anti-war content, fueling speculation that the video-streaming website might be blocked entirely.

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