Russia's internet restrictions have escalated dramatically, with President Vladimir Putin taking unprecedented steps to sever Russians' access to the global web. Recent mobile internet outages in Moscow, coinciding with Telegram throttling, have disrupted daily life and communications. The government cites security concerns over Ukrainian drone attacks but experts warn these blackouts resemble tactics used during internal unrest, like Iran's protests.

This follows the Kremlin's long-standing push for a 'sovereign internet,' now targeting Telegram, the app used by over 100 million Russians for news and messaging, after blocking Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Telegram is seen as a threat due to its role in organizing dissent, highlighted by its use by Yevgeny Prigozhin during his 2023 coup. The move has sparked public backlash and even criticism from regional officials who call Telegram critical infrastructure, fearing needless deaths during air raid alerts. While Russia lacks China's full 'Great Firewall,' analysts say it's rapidly adopting an Iranian model of controlled access.

The crackdown threatens to destroy the free internet Russians enjoyed for decades, forcing millions onto VPNs and disrupting vital services like diabetes monitoring devices.