russia is the world leader in internet shutdowns
By the end of 2025, russia ranked first in the world for internet shutdowns. russians may take pride in this “global leadership” — but there is a catch.
▫️ According to monitoring services, the cumulative duration of shutdowns reached 37,166 hours, while economic losses amounted to $11.9 billion. By comparison, Venezuela, which ranked second, was without internet for 5,952 hours over the year. The gap with russia is almost sixfold. This can indeed be seen as a “major achievement” for a state that has spent years talking about “digital sovereignty.”
▫️ The scale of internet shutdowns in russia is staggering and can no longer be covered up with the usual excuses about “protection from scammers” or “security concerns.” This is a systemic practice affecting dozens of regions and becoming the new norm.
Internet shutdowns in russia have effectively turned into an instrument of state policy. During blackouts, only resources from a kremlin-approved “whitelist” remain accessible. This is a deliberate strategy by the russian authorities aimed at achieving complete digital isolation of the population.
