Access to mobile internet will be limited in certain areas of the central Ulyanovsk region for the duration of Russia’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine, according to regional officials on Tuesday. This move marks the country’s first ongoing internet blackout.
The disruption, which started in early November, was mandated by federal authorities and affects regions near sensitive government and military installations, as reported by local media. The Kremlin has not made any public statements regarding this permanent mobile internet blackout.
The internet limitations in the Ulyanovsk region also extend to some residential neighborhoods, workplaces, and public buildings; however, the specific areas affected have not been disclosed for security reasons.
“The decision to enhance security zones around certain sites was made. These restrictions will remain in place until federal authorities determine otherwise,” noted Oleg Yagfarov, the Ulyanovsk region’s Minister of Digital Development, in remarks to the press.
Local officials mentioned that they lack the power to lift these restrictions or mandate that mobile operators compensate customers for interrupted services.
Residents have reported that even some platforms included on a so-called “whitelist” of approved services have been non-functional, according to the investigative news outlet IStories.
This whitelist features government services provider Gosuslugi, the Russian tech platform Yandex, social media networks Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki, online retailers Ozon and Wildberries, as well as the Mir payment system.
Regional officials stated they anticipate that Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development will roll out the whitelist “any day now” and are collaborating with service providers to restore services, which include banking applications, electronic school diaries, and websites for local pharmacies.
Authorities have encouraged residents to utilize wired internet connections, pointing out that there are over 450 free WiFi hotspots available in the region, and providers have bolstered their workforce to accommodate new installations.
Frequent internet disruptions across Russia began in early May amid an increase in Ukrainian drone attacks, affecting a wide range of regions, including Siberia and the Far East. Officials claim that these restrictions are a measure to prevent drone strikes.
