Kremlin fears rating decline due to internet restrictions, Bloomberg says

The Kremlin may slow the tightening of internet controls due to user dissatisfaction and a decline in the approval rating of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, particularly over restrictions affecting the Telegram messaging app.

Source: Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter

Details: The sources told Bloomberg that initiatives by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) to strengthen internet controls have raised concerns among some Russian officials, who warn of the political and economic risks of these steps.

Against this backdrop, the authorities may slow down restrictions, allowing Telegram to continue operating in Russia.

Bloomberg notes that dissatisfaction with communication disruptions and limited access to digital services could contribute to a decline in the Kremlin leader's approval rating.

Quote: "That's a problem for the Kremlin as it seeks to manage the public mood ahead of parliamentary elections in Russia scheduled for September. And it undermines official narratives that the public remains united behind Putin in the conflict with Ukraine that's now in its fifth year."

Details: Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to a request for comment from Bloomberg. However, during a briefing on 14 April for Russian journalists, he said that internet operations in Russia would be fully normalised once the need for security measures disappears.

On 10 April, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) recorded a decline in approval of Putin's performance.

The survey showed the figure at 67.8% for the period from 30 March to 5 April, down 2.3 percentage points from the previous survey conducted on 19-22 March.

Thus, according to VCIOM, this is the lowest level of support for Putin since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It was lower only before the war, when the figure stood at 64.3%, and after 24 February, it had not fallen below 70%.

Background:

• Internet shutdowns in Russia have persisted since May 2025. By the end of last year, Russia ranked first globally by the number of shutdowns. According to Top10VPN, outages totalled 37,166 hours and affected almost the entire population of the country – 146 million people. On average, restrictions are introduced across 63 regions each day.
• On 14 March, residents of Moscow Oblast began receiving warnings about "temporary difficulties" with mobile internet. Similar messages were sent out in St Petersburg on 17 March and in Moscow on 18 March.
• The restrictions are reportedly introduced "to ensure security measures".

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