The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, publicly spoke for the first time about the mass internet shutdowns in various regions of the country. During a meeting with government representatives, he stated that such restrictions are necessary to ensure security and prevent terrorist threats.
This is reported by Finway
Government arguments for restricting access to the network
Putin emphasized that the decision to restrict communication is made to prevent terrorist attacks. According to him, such measures are considered justified under the current circumstances. At the same time, he acknowledged that citizens need to be informed about the introduction of such restrictions, but he suggests doing so only after their actual implementation.
“Well, at least people should be informed based on the results of the work.”
Special services, ‘criminals’ and ‘white lists’
The Kremlin leader explained that prior notification about internet blocking could harm the work of special services, as “criminals see and hear everything.” According to Russian media, internet shutdowns in Russia occur regularly, especially during countermeasures against drone attacks. The authorities have also implemented so-called ‘white lists’ — special lists of resources that remain accessible to users even during communication restrictions.