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internet clampdown

Russia Has Blocked 138K Websites Since Ukraine Invasion, Prosecutor Says

The Kremlin has sought to strictly control the narrative of the war at home since invading Ukraine on Feb. 24.

bearer of fake news

Russian Search Engines to Label Wikipedia as ‘War Fakes’ Spreader

Russian search engines will be required to inform Wikipedia users that the site spreads “fake news” about the invasion of Ukraine.

evading the system

U.S. Funds Software for Russians to Slip Past Censors

The U.S .-backed Open Technology Fund estimates 4 million users in Russia have received VPNs from firms Psiphon and nthLink.

International Isolation

Political Analysts Join Russia Exodus As Top Think Tank Closes

The shuttering of think tank Carnegie Moscow is just one of a series of closures affecting international organizations in Russia.

Russian Search Engines Remove Independent Media, ‘Extremist’ Instagram Results

Yandex and Mail.ru said Monday they have stopped giving out the search results in line with Russian legislation.

Denunciation Fears

Russian Schoolchildren, Teachers Arrested Amid Crackdown on Anti-War Dissent

More than 200 Russians were arrested this weekend amid what some describe as Soviet-style informing.

Repressions continue

Russian Lawmakers Pursue New Powers to Close ‘Disrespectful’ Media

The new bill will give officials the power to close publications without the need for court approval

'knowingly false'

Russian Councilor Charged Over ‘False Information’ on Troops

The elected member of the municipal council in the city of Omsk posted critical views on Moscow's military operation in Ukraine.

information control

Russia Limits Access to Google News

Russia has restricted access to the Google News service, accusing it of providing access to "false" information about Russia's offensive in Ukraine.

Media crackdown

News Outlets Halt Work in Russia Over 'Fake News' Jail Terms

Two Russian outlets, Nobel Prize-winning newspaper Novaya Gazeta and business news website The Bell, said Friday they will stop reporting on Russia's invasion...

Facebook, Multiple Media Sites Partially Down in Russia – AFP, NGO

AFP journalists in Moscow were not able to access Facebook, as well as the sites of media outlets Meduza, Deutsche Welle, RFE-RL and the BBC's Russian-language...

STATE CENSORSHIP

Russia Blocks Number of Independent and Ukrainian Media Outlets

The state media watchdog had threatened outlets if they used information beyond official Russian Defense Ministry announcements in reporting on the war...

End of transmission

Russia Shuts Down German Broadcaster Deutsche Welle’s Moscow Office

The move comes in response to Berlin's ban on the German-language channel of Russian state TV network RT.

opinion Andrei Soldatov

Why the Kremlin Blocking TOR Is a Big Deal

The encryption software allows users to access websites and pages blocked by the authorities, but TOR has been political since its inception in the 1960s...

Russia Opens First ‘Foreign Agents’ Cases Against Individuals

Critics fear lawsuits against individuals labeled “foreign agents” represent a new stage in Russia’s crackdown on independent voices.

Russia Makes Covering Military Corruption News Grounds for ‘Foreign Agent’ Status

A new list sets out information that could be used to threaten state security.

FOREIGN AGENT CRACKDOWN

Russian Editor of Investigative Outlet Charged With Illegal Border Crossing

Russian authorities have added The Insider editor Roman Dobrokhotov to the country's wanted list.

Russia Threatens YouTube Block Over RT German Spat

YouTube deleted RT’s DE and DFP channels for repeatedly breaching its coronavirus misinformation policy, sparking uproar from Moscow.

Free Speech a ‘Core Value,’ YouTube CEO Says After Blocking Russian Opposition Videos

YouTube had taken down jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s voting strategy videos ahead of Russia's parliamentary elections.

Telegram Messenger Blocks Navalny Bot During Russian Election

The decision further restricts access to Alexei Navalny's Smart Voting system, following Apple and Google takedowns of his app.

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