Russian authorities seek full state control over internet

Russia's Ministry of Digital Development is developing a set of measures to bring Russia's segment of the internet under full state control.

Source: Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service

Details: The Foreign Intelligence Service reported that the central element of the plan is the introduction of charges for the use of international internet traffic for mobile subscribers.

Quote: "The estimated rate is around US$2 per gigabyte. Officially, this is presented as a change to the tariff model, but the real aim is to make the constant use of VPNs financially unviable."

More details: The average active user consumes 25-30 GB per month, and if a VPN is constantly enabled, all this traffic could be classified as international, even if the person is simply reading Russian news or watching TV series.

Telecom operators themselves were technically unprepared for this transition and have requested a postponement until at least 1 September, the Foreign Intelligence Service said.

In parallel, Russia's Ministry of Digital Development is pushing for a radical overhaul of licensing. There are currently 17 types of licences, which are set to be reduced to three, while the financial thresholds for market entry will be raised significantly.

"The repercussions for the market will be devastating," the intelligence service said. "Of the more than 4,200 active broadband access operators, only a small fraction will be able to meet the new requirements. Over 90% of small providers – internet companies, cable TV operators and regional operators – will face the threat of liquidation or takeover."

The market in Russia is consolidating around a few large federal entities, effectively bringing it under direct state control.

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