Moscow’s downtown has been hit by intermittent cellphone internet shutdowns that have blocked foreign websites on mobile phones, derailing daily routines and inflicting steep losses on businesses that depend on mobile connectivity.
What Happened in Moscow
Mobile internet restrictions first appeared on the outskirts of the capital and were first reported on March 5 before sweeping into the city center. The measures have blocked many foreign websites on mobile phones in central Moscow and created intermittent shutdowns that mirror disruptions recorded in dozens of Russia’s regions over recent months.
Impact on Businesses and Daily Life
Businesses that rely on cellphone internet — cafes, restaurants, shops and retailers — have been hit hard as customers were unable to pay for services and electronic systems stopped functioning. ATMs and parking metres that depend on mobile internet halted, and some taxi apps ceased working; firms offered callers the option to order taxis by phone and pay cash. In some moments, not only mobile data but cellphone coverage for making calls was halted entirely.
Broadband connections in businesses and homes were not affected, but owners dependent on mobile connectivity recorded massive losses. One business daily estimated that Moscow businesses lost between 3 billion and 5 billion roubles in five days of shutdowns, with other estimates running significantly higher. Another estimate in the coverage put losses at about 1 billion roubles a day.
The outages have also reached government buildings: mobile internet was almost entirely missing inside the lower house building located a few hundred metres from Red Square, leaving lawmakers effectively cut off from the outside world and unable to access the internet at times.
Why Authorities Say It’s Happening And Rising Censorship Fears
Russian authorities have framed the restrictions as security measures intended to fend off Ukrainian drone attacks. The Kremlin said the outages were being introduced to “ensure security” and would remain in place “as long as additional measures are necessary, ” without providing further detail.
Industry experts and rights observers have raised alarm that the shutdowns may be part of tests of a so-called “whitelist” system that would leave only government-approved sites and services accessible. During past shutdowns a number of government-approved Russian websites and services were placed on lists that remained available, but during the recent disruptions even some white-listed government services, top banks and taxi apps stopped functioning. Critics also point to broader moves: restrictive laws, bans on major social media platforms, promotion of a national messenger app called MAX that critics see as a surveillance tool, and technological steps to monitor and manipulate online traffic.
Practical Responses and Shortages
As connectivity faltered, Muscovites turned to older technologies. Walkie-talkies, pagers and portable media players saw resurgent demand, while sales of paper maps of Moscow rose sharply. Data from an e-commerce platform showed walkie-talkie sales up 27% and pager sales up 73%, with demand for paper maps nearly tripling, as people looked for ways to manage without reliable mobile internet.
The outages have disrupted commerce and daily life and heightened concerns that authorities are practicing the tools needed to cut access to the global web. For now, the situation remains characterized by intermittent shutdowns, constrained mobile access to foreign websites in the city center and competing estimates of the economic damage already done.
