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

Date:
Sat, 24 Jan 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Description:
New laws and sophisticated blocking techniques are making VPN use in Russia
increasingly difficult. Here's what changed last year and what to expect over
the next 12 months.

FULL STORY

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 this year.

2025: a "particularly challenging" year 

Last year was "particularly challenging," according to Mazay Banzaev, Founder
of Russia-based Amnezia VPN. 

Banzaev explained that, currently, most VPN protocols are blocked in the
country. "At present, only VPN protocols that disguise themselves as other
network protocols continue to function," he said. 

The likes of XRay (VLESS, VMess, Trojan), NaiveProxy, and Hysteria generally
still work, though he warned that they could be blocked if "poorly
configured." 

The escalation comes as Russian censors continue to refine their DPI-based
filtering systems, growing their reliance on AI and other sophisticated
traffic analysis methods. 

Over the summer, Roskomnadzor almost completely blocked unidentified UDP
traffic. This prompted the team at Amnezia to upgrade its 
censorship-resistant AmneziaWG protocol. "Overall, it operates stably, though
the regulator periodically blocks its signatures, necessitating regular
updates," Banzaev said. 

The filtering model, however, is designed for protecting the "legitimate" use
of VPNs. Banzaev explains that Roskomnadzor uses whitelisting techniques to
ensure that selected organizations can still use their business VPN . "All
other companies and services face the same problems as ordinary users," he
added.

Popular VPNs struggle to work

Banzaev claims that popular Western VPN services such as NordVPN , Proton VPN,
and ExpressVPN are "effectively non-functional" in the country.

A spokesperson for NordVPN confirmed to TechRadar that the service does not
operate in the region and has "no plans to return under the present
circumstances." The provider was also among those that pulled its physical
servers from Russia in 2019 following demands for data access, before exiting
the market entirely after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. 

However, David Peterson, General Manager at Proton VPN, paints a slightly
different picture. He explained that while the environment is challenging, 
the service still works for many users, though reliability varies "on any
given day." 

" Proton VPN's Stealth protocol is resistant to deep packet inspection (DPI).
However, Russian authorities have also taken the additional step of blocking
the IP addresses (and IP address ranges) of many VPN servers, meaning that
multiple attempts may still be required to connect." 

Similarly, an ExpressVPN spokesperson told TechRadar that connectivity in the
region remains generally functional despite the difficulties. 

"VPN connectivity can be challenging in some countries, and conditions can
change over time. We continuously monitor network performance and work to
maintain reliable access for users wherever possible," the company stated. 

Despite these assurances, the situation remains volatile. On January 20,
Windscribe confirmed a new wave of blocks, recording an almost 90% drop in
Russian traffic .

Roskomnadzor as a "super-regulator" 

The Kremlin's ability to restrict access to VPNs has significantly increased
this year. Thanks to the passing of Government Decree No. 1667 in late October
2025, Roskomnadzor is now capable of blocking content directly, rather than
relying on telecom operators and ISPs.

Sarkis Darbinyan, a cyber lawyer and expert at RKS Global , said the agency
has become a "super-regulator." 

It can now "block virtually any service or application using DPI technology
installed across all operators network nodes," Darbinyan told TechRadar. Do
you know? (Image credit: Amnezia VPN) Amnezia VPN is a self-hosted,
open-source tool designed specifically to bypass state-enforced censorship.
Its code is fully accessible, allowing anyone with the technical knowledge to
independently audit its security. 

This technical and legal escalation has coincided with an increased crackdown
on websites that promote the use of VPNs and other circumvention tools. 

According to the latest data , Roskomnadzor restricted access to 12,600
materials that promoted VPNs between January and April 2025 alone  twice the
total for all of 2024. Pressure on Apple and Google to remove VPNs from their
Russian app stores has also continued. 

In July, lawmakers passed a law penalizing the search for 'extremist' 
content, introducing fresh fines for those accessing illegal material via a
VPN. Experts described the move as "a new chapter in repressive internet
regulation in Russia." 

Alexey Kozliuk, Chairman of the industry group VPN Guild, told TechRadar:
"While Russia does not yet have a formal ban on installing and using VPNs for
citizens, as in Turkmenistan, the trajectory is clear."

What next for 2026? 

While the push to migrate users to domestic applications like the
Kremlin-backed "superapp" MAX is set to continue in 2026, experts believe 
that VPN blocking will only intensify. 

It appears the state has the resources to back this ambition. According to
Kozliuk, censors will have access to 60 billion rubles (~$780 million) 
between 2025 and 2027 "to strengthen VPN-blocking technologies." 

Additionally, Forbes Russia reported that Roskomnadzor is set to allocate 
2.27 billion rubles (~$29 million) to build an AI-powered traffic filtering
mechanism designed to better detect and block prohibited content and VPN
connections. 

However, the battle against VPNs is not unique to Russia. The VPN Guild is
increasingly concerned by the shifting narrative around circumvention tools 
in Western democracies, too. 

That's why, according to the guild, the wider industry must unite to protect
the legitimacy of these privacy tools. 

"When a trend becomes global, the response must be global as well," said
Kozliuk. "Participating in the ' Defend VPNs' Day of Action 2025 showed that
the space for cooperation and knowledge sharing needs to be strengthened and
expanded in 2026." 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-services/russias-battle-against-vpns-is-ente
ring-a-new-phase-heres-what-to-expect-in-2026

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