(MOSCOW, RUSSIAN FEDERATION) – Russia recorded the highest level of internet shutdowns in the world in 2025, according to an annual global assessment by Top10VPN, highlighting the growing scale of digital censorship under the rule of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. The study found that Russia experienced 37,166 hours of internet disruptions over the year, far exceeding any other country and affecting almost the entire population of about 146 million people.
Top10VPN ranked Russia first by a wide margin, with nearly three times more shutdown hours than Pakistan, which placed second. Other countries appearing high on the list included Myanmar, Equatorial Guinea, Iraq, Tanzania and Venezuela. In many of those states, experts attributed outages to weather events, infrastructure failures or natural disasters. In Russia’s case, analysts concluded that the disruptions were overwhelmingly political in nature.
The report estimates that Russia’s internet shutdowns, mobile data outages, throttling of online services and restrictions on social media platforms caused economic losses of around 930 billion rubles, equivalent to approximately 11.9 billion US dollars at current values. The losses stemmed from interrupted business activity, halted online services and reduced productivity in an economy that increasingly depends on digital tools for work, education and trade.
Experts noted that the shutdowns displayed patterns inconsistent with technical faults. Instead of being localised or temporary, many were nationwide, prolonged and selective, affecting specific platforms or types of data traffic. Such measures, the report said, point to deliberate state intervention rather than failures by service providers or power networks.
Russian authorities initially justified some outages as security measures, claiming that limiting mobile internet could prevent Ukrainian drones from using navigation or targeting data. Analysts and residents, however, observed that internet services often remained restricted long after alleged threats had passed. Shutdowns were also reported in regions far from any military activity, including Russia’s Far East and the Republic of Sakha, where residents experienced days without reliable access despite no history of drone strikes.
According to digital rights specialists, these practices suggest a broader effort by the Kremlin to control information and limit public awareness of Russia’s mounting military and economic difficulties, particularly those linked to its full scale invasion of Ukraine. The war has already placed severe strain on Russia’s economy through international sanctions, rising military spending and labour shortages, pressures compounded by repeated digital blackouts.
The Top10VPN analysis emphasised that the scale of Russia’s shutdowns was exceptional. Unlike outages caused by storms or earthquakes, which typically affect specific areas, Russia’s disruptions were often systemic and nationwide. The report also highlighted targeted interference with internet protocols and reduced connection speeds for certain services, reinforcing conclusions that the actions were centrally coordinated.
Major cities including Moscow and Saint Petersburg experienced repeated disruptions, alongside remote regions thousands of kilometres from the conflict zone. Analysts noted that the frequency of shutdowns increased after May, when Putin, a former KGB officer now wanted by the International Criminal Court, reportedly feared Ukrainian drone attacks during public events in the capital.
The economic consequences have been significant. Millions of Russians rely on the internet for employment, education, banking and commerce. Extended shutdowns disrupted online payments, logistics, remote work and small businesses, amplifying existing economic problems linked to sanctions and wartime mismanagement by the Kremlin.
Despite these measures, analysts argue that information control has not delivered the stability sought by the authorities. Comparisons have been drawn with late Soviet era censorship, when restrictions slowed the flow of information but failed to stop public awareness of decline. Observers note that Ukrainians, even under missile attacks and power outages, have largely maintained internet access, reinforcing the contrast between an open society under assault and an authoritarian state retreating into digital isolation.
Top10VPN concluded that Russia’s reliance on internet shutdowns reflects growing insecurity within the Kremlin rather than technical necessity. While officials continue to present restrictions as protective measures, the report found that the economic and social costs are rising, with no clear evidence that censorship has improved security or public trust.