Muscovites have been turning to walkie-talkies and pagers amid unexplained disruptions to internet services in the capital, as the Kremlin appears to ramp up control over online activity in Russia. Users in central Moscow, as well as in St Petersburg, first reported difficulties accessing mobile internet about a week ago. In 2025, the country ranked first globally for the number of internet disruptions, according to estimates by the research group Top10VPN. Russia’s business daily Kommersant estimated that losses from the internet shutdown in Moscow could reach about 1bn roubles (£9.4m) a day. The shutdown comes amid a renewed crackdown on Russia’s online space.

Source: The Guardian March 12, 2026 15:14 UTC