By Sultan Musayev | 2025-08-04

When the internet goes dark in Russian cities, life grinds to a halt. For months, residents have endured sudden blackouts of both mobile and cable connections as part of security measures, leaving many feeling cut off from each other and from the world.

"Living in Russia is getting worse by the year," said a 35-year-old Moscow resident who asked to be identified only as Andrei because he fears problems with law enforcement agencies.

"As if it weren't enough that they've taken away all our rights and freedoms, now we can't even communicate with each other. It's like we're living in a country that's a prison."

The outages are leaving Russians increasingly despondent, Andrei told Kontur. For many, the disruptions have been the final straw and a reason to consider leaving the country, according to him.

From Victory Day to daily blackouts

The first sweeping mobile internet outages began in May during preparations for the Victory Day parade. The shutdown affected 40 regions, covering 60% of the country, and was aimed at securing the celebrations.

By early June, restrictions became routine after Ukraine launched Operation Spider's Web. First-person view (FPV) drones controlled by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) destroyed or damaged at least 20 strategic aircraft deep inside Russian territory, prompting Russian authorities to fear further drone raids.

Internet blackouts intensified in July, according to the independent watchdog Na Svyazi. Residents in 77 regions reported recurring disruptions to both mobile and hard-wired connections.

The outages are degrading daily life and hurting businesses. Many Russians describe them as a complete loss of contact with the outside world, disrupting work and basic tasks.

"It's hard to imagine a scenario in 2025 when you can't watch your favorite TV show or order food," Andrei said. "It's mainly mobile internet that's being shut down, but many people, including me, only use a prepaid mobile package. Not everyone has a fixed wifi router."

Others have complained they are forced to carry cash when phone payments fail.

Economic fallout

In cities such as Rostov-on-Don, internet shutdowns make it impossible to book taxis, while available rides often double their fares, iStories, an independent Latvian investigative outlet, reported in July.

Some customers have filed complaints with the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, demanding investigations of the price hikes.

In Voronezh, drivers parked near public wifi spots or taped "Available" signs to their windshields to attract passengers. A Kazan taxi fleet spokeswoman said the company is losing half its earnings during outages.

Public transit operators are taking a hit. Metroelektrotrans in Kazan reported losing 1 million RUB (about $13,000) on June 15, the first day of a local blackout, while a local bus carrier said losses reached 3 million RUB.

The shutdowns are disrupting other businesses and public services tied to the internet. E-commerce platforms cannot process payments or take orders, and a Moscow coffee shop owner told iStories that profits in June were half of normal levels.

Nationwide, a daylong outage in dozens of regions can cost the economy an estimated $580 million, according to the Internet Protection Society, which used a Brookings Institution method to calculate the figure.

As reports of financial losses mount, the Kremlin has tightened censorship. A Yandex employee told iStories that officials barred the company from commenting on the problem.

The government has offered no compensation to businesses, promising only to keep an eye on rates charged for communication services and on the functionality of payment systems in stores.

In July, Rostov Provincial Governor Yury Slyusar told residents not to expect stable mobile internet and ordered automated teller machines and payment terminals switched to hard-wired connections.

A questionable strategy

Many analysts doubt internet shutdowns are effective against drone attacks. The Russian website Military Review reported that mobile blackouts in the so-called Luhansk People's Republic this spring did not stop Ukrainian drones or missiles.

"It does not seem to have any significant impact on UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] attacks in other regions either," the outlet wrote in July, noting that drones are usually intercepted by air defense systems, not by internet restrictions.

Cutting mobile service could backfire, since officials rely on messaging apps to alert civilians about incoming air strikes, added Military Review.

Drones do not depend on mobile networks, Dauren Ospanov, a retired Kazakh army major, told Kontur.

"They can follow predetermined routes or receive commands through radio communications, so you can use drones even in places where there's no mobile internet," he said, adding that to this day, Ukrainian drones continue to attack targets on Russian soil despite the outages.

"In shutting down the internet, the Russian authorities have created problems for their own citizens, not for Ukrainian drones," he concluded.