Russia’s battle against VPNs is entering a new phase: Here's what to expect in 2026

The Kremlin's quest to build a national, closed internet intensified last year.

Russia's censorship body, Roskomnadzor, blocked 1.3 million web pages in 12 months, according to recent data. That's a 59% increase compared with the previous year.

In response, virtual private networks (VPN) have become a essential for people to maintain access to blocked content. However, VPNs are now increasingly under attack themselves and reportedly represent the "fastest-growing" category of blocked sites.

I spoke with leading VPN and digital rights experts in Russia about how last year shaped the country's battle against VPNs and what to expect ...