Digital blockade: mass internet shutdowns in Russia are becoming the new reality.

      In November, residents of many cities faced widespread interruptions in mobile internet service. Downdetector, for example, on November 11 — when many residents experienced the outages — recorded a spike in complaints: 1,156 reports of problems in just one hour.

      The most worrying situation developed in the Ulyanovsk region, where service was completely cut off in some areas and, according to some reports, indefinitely. In such cases the authorities suggest that citizens switch to national digital services.

      A systemic process, not random outages

      Experts see elements of a deliberate policy rather than chaotic malfunctions. This idea is backed up by statements from officials. State Duma deputy Alexey Chepa warned of the possible disconnection of the Runet from the global network by 2026.

      “This is not intentional and not directed at anyone. But we must be prepared for any situation — hacks, attacks, terrorist actions,” the Kurs dela portal quotes the deputy as saying.

      Media technologist Ramil Kharisov points to a symbolic coincidence: the deputy’s statement came almost simultaneously with the issuance of a government decree approving rules for the centralized management of the communications network.

      “This is not a coincidence. The authorities are carefully preparing the legal framework, which indicates the seriousness of such a scenario,” the expert said.

      Public anxieties and a threat to business

      The “National Index of Anxieties” study confirms: Russians’ main fears are now connected to the functioning of the internet. This topic has topped the anxiety ranking for the first time, rising from sixth place.

      For small businesses, outages pose a direct threat to survival. “All our sales go through social networks and messengers. If the connection is cut off — we’ll be ruined,” says Kostroma entrepreneur Sergey Belyakov.

      The authorities assure that they are building a system to protect against external threats. However, to millions of Russians these measures increasingly resemble preparations for digital isolation.