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The Daily Insight

What websites are banned in Russia?

Author

Olivia Hensley

Updated on February 25, 2026

Notable bans: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google News, BBC News, NPR, Bild, AOL, Ukrayinska Pravda, Meduza.io, Interfax-Ukraine, Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe sites, Voice of America, The Telegraph, Bellingcat, Amnesty International and Chess.com.

Is TikTok banned in Russia?

With Facebook, Twitter and Instagram banned by the Kremlin, TikTok is the last global social media platform still operating in Russia. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it announced it had banned new uploads on March 6 to protect users from the Russian “fake news” law.

Is VPN blocked in Russia?

Since 2019, Russia has banned over a dozen VPNs from operating in the country, and Russia says that only VPNs that comply with its censorship demands can legally operate there.

Is Spotify banned in Russia?

Spotify is pulling out of Russia entirely because recent laws restricting news operations could put the streamer's employees and listeners at risk, the company said on Friday.

Why can't I access Russian websites?

Today, all sorts of content and websites are being blocked for people living within Russia. Internet service providers, which are regulated by Roskomnadzor, are responsible for carrying out the website blocks. To do this, internet service providers will employ DNS blocking techniques.

Could Russia Be Banned From The Internet?

Is Twitter blocked in Russia?

In March 2022, amid its invasion of Ukraine, Russia began to increasingly block international news outlets such as BBC News Russian, Deutsche Welle, and RFE/RL (including Current Time), and Twitter was "restricted".

Is discord allowed in Russia?

Discord is allowed in most countries in the world such as the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Japan, Brazil, Russia, all European countries, and any other country besides those previously listed as having banned Discord.

Is Spotify a Russian app?

Spotify (/ˈspɒtɪfaɪ/; Swedish: [ˈspɔ̂tːɪfaj]) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon.

Is Spotify working in Russia?

After considering different paths, Spotify opted to “fully suspend” its service in Russia, a process that will be complete by early April after the company wraps up logistics related to the move. Spotify previously suspended premium subscriptions in Russia, though the free version of the app remained available.

Is Internet in Russia censored?

Since 2012, Russia maintains a centralized internet blacklist (known as the "single register") maintained by the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor). The list is used for the censorship of individual URLs, domain names, and IP addresses.

Is Instagram working in Russia?

While other censorship in Russia only blocks accounts from outside the country, the Russian ban of Instagram blocks all access to the app. This means an estimated 80 million Russian Instagram users will no longer have access to their accounts or the accounts they follow.

How can I use Facebook in Russia?

Here's how you can access Facebook with Russia:

  1. Navigate to Surfshark's website.
  2. Purchase a subscription and register an account.
  3. Download the Surfshark app.
  4. Connect to a Surfshark server that's outside of Russia.
  5. Log on to Facebook and start browsing!

Can WhatsApp be used in Russia?

WhatsApp and Telegram are two of the last communication apps standing in Russia. WhatsApp and Telegram are two of the last social media apps remaining in Russia.

What companies left Russia?

Netflix suspended its service and halted future projects in the country. Sony said it was suspending operations in Russia. The Walt Disney Company paused the release of movies in Russia. Disney also paused all of its business operations in the country.

What social media do they have in Russia?

Nearly 81 percent of the Russian online population aged 16 to 64 years used WhatsApp in the third quarter of 2021, thus making it the most used platform among those listed in the ranking. VK (Vkontakte) ranked second, with a 76-percent penetration rate, followed by Instagram and Telegram.

Is Netflix available in Russia?

In December, the Russian media regulator, Roskomnadzor, added Netflix to its register for audiovisual services because it was reaching more than 100,000 subscribers.

Can you access YouTube in Russia?

YouTube is now available in Russia.

Does Russia have Apple music?

Apple Stops Selling Products in Russia, Limits App Store, Apple Pay and Maps. The tech giant says it's "deeply concerned" about the invasion of Ukraine and is supporting humanitarian efforts.

Is Disney plus available in Russia?

Is Disney Plus available in Russia? No, Disney Plus is not available in Russia and to watch Disney Plus in Russia you will need a VPN with US servers. We recommend ExpressVPN.

Is Netflix leaving Russia?

Netflix Inc said in March that it suspended its service in Russia and had temporarily stopped all future projects and acquisitions in the country as it assessed the impact of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Is there Amazon in Russia?

Amazon's decision means consumers in Russia will no longer be able to order products on Amazon or use its Prime Video streaming services. While the company doesn't break out sales from Russia in its financial statements, its customer base there is minimal compared with its largest markets.

Can I access Russian websites?

The only way to access a website blocked in Russia is by connecting to a VPN. The VPN you choose must not be the one that only promises to help you achieve complete online freedom, but it must really be able to bypass Russia's internet censorship.

Is LinkedIn banned in Russia?

Russia blocked LinkedIn in 2017 because it stores its users' information on international servers. If you are traveling in Russia, not being able to build your network on this social media platform can be detrimental to your career.

Are Russian citizens allowed to leave?

A Russian citizen can be subject to temporary restrictions on leaving Russia. These restrictions can be only temporary. “Lifetime restrictions” (which existed under the Soviet Union) are currently not allowed.