Russia cellphone internet outages disrupt daily life nationwide
TALLINN, Estonia — Russian authorities implemented cellphone internet shutdowns beginning in May 2025, citing efforts to prevent Ukrainian drones from using mobile networks. The outages persisted through summer and into fall, affecting dozens of regions and causing daily disruptions to mobile links reported in November. Residents reported that contactless payments, ATMs, messaging apps and medical monitoring were unavailable, while broadband and Wi‑Fi remained operational. The Kremlin defended the measures as necessary; monitoring groups like Na Svyazi recorded average of 57 regions reporting daily disruptions in November. Analysts questioned their effectiveness against drone strikes. Based on 8 articles reviewed and supporting research.
Timeline
- May 2025 — Widespread cellphone internet shutdowns begin across multiple Russian regions.
- Summer 2025 — Shutdowns persist; messaging apps face additional restrictions and state app promotion increases.
- Fall 2025 — Mobile outages continue, disrupting payments, ATMs, and medical monitoring for citizens.
- November 2025 — Na Svyazi reports an average of 57 regions with daily mobile disruptions.
- November 2025 — Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calls measures justified; analysts express doubts about effectiveness.
- Articles Published:
- 5
- Right Leaning:
- 2
- Left Leaning:
- 1
- Neutral:
- 2
- Distribution:
- Left 20%, Center 40%, Right 40%
Russian security and regulatory agencies consolidated operational control over mobile networks and accelerated deployment of state-approved applications, which officials framed as measures to mitigate drone threats and protect infrastructure.
Millions of Russian residents, including patients reliant on remote medical monitoring, commuters using contactless payments, and small businesses, experienced service disruptions, financial inconvenience, and interrupted communications.
Cellphone shutdowns began in May 2025 across dozens of Russian regions, purportedly to hinder Ukrainian drone navigation. Monitoring group Na Svyazi recorded 57 regions reporting daily disruptions in November. The measures left mobile-dependent services impaired while broadband stayed online; Kremlin officials defended the action despite questions about its operational effectiveness.
Coverage of Story:
From Left
Uses the AP material but adds critical context highlighting analyst skepticism and civil-impact narratives consistent with center-left editorial tendencies.
The Boston GlobeFrom Center
Frustrations grow in Russia over cellphone internet outages that disrupt daily life | Mint
mint Yahoo! FinanceFrom Right
Reproduces AP copy via an outlet that generally aligns with conservative state perspectives; framing retains security justification emphasis common in right-leaning outlets.
Arab News Daily Mail Online
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