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Peskov Defends Russia’s Media Crackdown as Part of ‘Information War’

“We are living in a time of wartime censorship, something unprecedented in our country,” the Kremlin spokesman said in an interview.

Telegram Accused of Removing Popular News Channel at Russia’s Request

The tech company denied any involvement, saying the channel was “deleted by its owner, possibly as a result of unauthorized access.”

ECHR Rules Moscow Suppressed Dissent Over Ukraine War

The ruling follows complaints filed by Russian independent media and individual applicants against Moscow over wartime censorship.

Three Poets: 'I'm Afraid of Becoming Someone Who is Always Afraid'

Russian poets on repression, censorship and fear.

Russia Blocks a Record 417K Websites in 2024

The number of permanently inaccessible websites in 2024 was twice that of the previous year and nearly five times higher than in 2022.

Russia Seeks 6 Years in Prison for Medic for Criticizing Ukraine War

Prosecutors asked to find Moscow pediatrician Nadezhda Buyanova guilty of spreading “fake news” about the army during a private appointment.

Russia Bans Messaging Platform Discord

Russia’s telecoms watchdog accused the U.S.-based platform of failing to prevent “messaging for terrorist and extremist purposes.”

U.S. Urges Big Tech to Boost Anti-Censorship Tools for Russians – Reuters

U.S. government-backed Open Technology Fund has been financing several American firms to offer free virtual private networks to Russians.

Newspaper Publisher in Siberia Jailed 8 Years Over War ‘Fakes’

Sergei Mikhailov was arrested in April 2022 after publishing information about the Russian army’s mass killing of civilians in Ukraine.

Russia Blames Telegram, WhatsApp Outage on Cyberattack as Experts Point to Censorship

Russian authorities blame a DDoS attack. Independent experts point the finger at Roskomnadzor.

Russia Opens 10K Cases for 'Discrediting' Army Since Invasion – Medizona

Most cases came in the first months of the war, with the total number of charges reaching 5,614 by the end of 2022.

Russia Blocks Signal Messenger For ‘Violating’ Country’s Legislation

Signal is considered to be one of the most secure messaging apps and is used by many independent Russian journalists and opposition activists.

As Russia Throttles YouTube, Exiled Opposition Voices Prepare for Total Blackout

For the exiled opposition and independent media, losing YouTube would mean losing a critical means of reaching millions inside Russia.

opinion Stanislav Shakirov

What Should Russians Do If VPNs Are Banned?

The Kremlin has been slow in the cat-and-mouse game for a free internet. But there are steps Russians can take to beat future censorship.

Russian Duolingo Removes LGBTQ+ References in Censorship Compliance

The order came after conservative activists spotted phrases like “Ben and Peter love each other” and “Clara met Maria at a lesbian bar."

YouTube Blocks Anti-War Videos at Russia’s Request – Agentstvo

It also notified the human rights watchdog OVD-Info that one of its channels may be blocked after it recently received a complaint from Roskomnadzor.

Russia Creates Book Censorship Body – Vedomosti

A major publisher has already stopped selling books by U.S. authors James Baldwin and Michael Cunningham, as well as Russian writer Vladimir Sorokin, for...

‘Unbearable’ Military Censorship Forces Closure of Novosibirsk Newspaper

“We tried to live under military censorship for two years. I can say now that it’s unbearable,” Kurier.Sreda’s editor-in-chief wrote in a farewell...

Russia Opens Criminal Case Against Journalist Zygar Over ‘War Fakes’

Mikhail Zygar is reportedly accused of spreading false information about Russian atrocities in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.

Kremlin Says No Plans ‘Yet’ to Block VPN Services

The news comes a day after the head of the Safe Internet League claimed the Russian government will “most likely” block VPNs by March 1.

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