Reports from Russian government or credible news agencies

Russia Blocks Viber in Push to Control 'Runet'

Dec 13, 2024, 05:08 PM

Russia's telecommunications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has blocked access to the Viber messaging app within the country. This decision comes as part of Russia's ongoing efforts to control and potentially isolate its internet infrastructure, known as 'Runet'. The move is the latest in a series of actions by Russian authorities to restrict access to foreign social media and communication services. Previously, Russia conducted a successful simulation of disconnecting from the global internet network in several regions, testing the stability and security of its own network infrastructure. This test included blocking access to services like WhatsApp, YouTube, Google, messaging app Telegram, and the 'Russian Google' Yandex, among others, to prepare for a possible full-scale disconnection from the global internet. The blocking of Viber is justified by Roskomnadzor as a response to the app's violation of Russian legal requirements for information dissemination.