Russia escalates censorship war, targets over 200 VPN apps amid Google resistance
By willowt // 2025-04-16
Copy
 
  • Russia’s internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, issued 214 demands to remove VPN apps from Google Play between March and April. Despite this, Google refused most requests, removing only six apps (e.g., ExpressVPN).
  • The crackdown aligns with a 2024 law criminalizing promotion of tools that bypass censorship, part of Russia’s broader effort to eliminate online anonymity and ban foreign platforms (e.g., Gmail, iCloud) by late 2025.
  • While 87% of VPN apps remain accessible (per GreatFire), Russia continues pressuring tech companies—Apple previously removed 60 VPNs in 2024, contrasting Google’s resistance.
  • Beyond VPNs, Roskomnadzor ordered takedowns of over 83,000 URLs, including content on Ukraine, activism and art—broadly stifling dissent under vague legal interpretations.
  • Developers are self-censoring or exiting Russia (e.g., Avast in 2022), highlighting how authoritarian policies undermine digital freedom and force compliance worldwide.
In a clear escalation of efforts to curb online dissent and control information, Russia’s internet regulator Roskomnadzor has issued 214 takedown demands targeting over 212 virtual private network (VPN) apps on Google Play between March 12 and April 1, 2025. Despite the broad crackdown, Google has resisted removing all but six of the affected apps, signaling a muted response to Moscow’s escalating censorship campaign. The move aligns with a broader legal framework, including a 2024 law criminalizing the promotion of tools to bypass state internet restrictions. These actions follow years of tightening digital control under Vladimir Putin’s regime, with the Kremlin now seeking to eradicate anonymity and limit access to foreign communication platforms by the end of 2025.

Over 200 app takedown demands signal intensifying crackdown

The surge in censorship has spotlighted Russia’s aggressive push to dismantle online privacy tools. According to data from GreatFire, an organization tracking global digital restrictions, 214 takedown requests were filed by Roskomnadzor against Google Play Store listings between March and April—a 90% share of app removal demands during the period. Though only six apps, including ExpressVPN, were successfully removed from Russia’s Play Store, the total number of unavailable apps there has risen to 53 since 2024. GreatFire’s “App Censorship Project” found that 87% of analyzed VPN apps remained accessible, underscoring limited compliance with Russia’s orders. However, the regulator’s insistence on pursuing even trace amounts of dissent echoes previous actions. In 2024 alone, Apple complied with Roskomnadzor’s demands to remove 60 VPN apps, a stark contrast to Google’s relative resistance. “The Russian government is waging an all-out war on VPNs and all other tools enabling Russian citizens to bypass censorship and surveillance,” said Benjamin Ismail, Campaign and Advocacy Director at GreatFire, highlighting the systemic nature of the crackdown.

Broader censorship extends beyond apps to content

While the focus has been on mobile apps, Roskomnadzor’s aggression extends to silencing critical content. In March 2025, the regulator issued two massive URL takedown orders through Google Search, demanding the removal of over 83,000 URLs—many unrelated to VPNs. Examples include websites discussing the Ukraine conflict, social activism, poetry and music. This expansion underscores the Kremlin’s tactic of broadly interpreting its censorship mandate to stifle dissent. The “VPN law” of 2024 bans promoting tools to evade online restrictions but does not criminalize using them—a technicality critics argue stifles freedom without direct criminality. Aiding the campaign, some developers have voluntarily withdrawn apps from Russian markets, citing the war in Ukraine or self-censorship pressures. For instance, Avast exited in 2022, while others remain ambiguous about their motivations. “The self-censorship is still censorship,” Ismail emphasized. “It creates a chilling effect on developers globally, forcing them to comply with authoritarian demands.”

A decade of digital erosion

Russia’s path to digital authoritarianism began in 2012 with the creation of Roskomnadzor, tasked with monitoring online content. Over years, it has blocklisted tens of thousands of sites, including social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube. The 2024 law marked a milestone, empowering regulators to penalize anyone distributing technical guides on bypassing filters. The current crackdown aligns with a broader societal strategy: by mid-2025, Russia plans to ban foreign email providers like Gmail and Apple’s iCloud, pushing users to use services like Yandex.Mail. This “digital sovereignty” move aims to consolidate control over domestic data—each step eroding the ability of citizens to access independent journalism, organize protests, or criticize the state.

The cost of digital oppression

As Russia tightens its grip on online anonymity and foreign services, the battle pits authoritarian ambition against global tech giants’ resolve. Google’s partial compliance has offered a sliver of hope for millions of Russians relying on unfiltered access to information. Yet the relentless pressure—coupled with Apple’s earlier capitulation—reveals the fragility of digital freedom in repressive regimes. For now, unremoved apps like ProtonVPN provide an endangered lifeline to open networks. However, with over 80,000 URLs Already scrubbed and more blocks pending, the next year will test Google’s stance—and the world’s tolerance for the Kremlin’s vision of a sanctioned internet, one click at a time. Sources include: ReclaimTheNet.org TechRadar.com InfoWars.com
Copy