Russia will restrict internet access across several regions, including Moscow, during its May 9 Victory Day celebrations this year, as the Kremlin imposes ever-tighter controls over its population.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that mobile internet restrictions would be in place in several regions while foreign leaders are in Moscow for the celebrations marking the surrender of Nazi Germany in World War II.
Peskov said the restrictions are because Russia has “dangerous neighbors.”
“These are not disruptions, but restrictions for obvious reasons,” he said. “We want the glorious Victory Day to be celebrated at the appropriate level.”
Russian independent media outlet Meduza reported that restrictions have already been put in place in some areas, with Moscow residents experiencing phone and internet access issues since May 5.
Victory Day celebrations are a major propaganda event for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. World leaders, including China’s Xi Jinping and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will attend this year’s event.
Putin has also called for a three-day cease-fire with Ukraine over the Victory Day weekend, which Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected, describing the offer as a “stunt.”
In the run-up to May 9, Ukraine has intensified its drone strike campaign against Russia, hitting Moscow with consecutive nights of attacks that closed its international airports.
Russia’s association of tour operators said in a statement on Wednesday that at least 350 flights were affected by the threat of drone strikes.
Zelenskyy suggested that those travelling to the country may not be safe, remarking that “our position is very simple for all countries travelling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation.”
Cuts to internet access
In the wake of its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia imposed sweeping internet restrictions on its population.
As part of its “sovereign internet” project, and in a bid to more tightly monitor online spaces and access to information, Russia has restricted access to the global internet, as well as VPN services used to circumvent domestic controls.
Further restrictions have already been imposed in areas of Russia targeted by Ukrainian drone strikes, with Russian outlet Kommersant reporting that restrictions were put in place in the city of Rostov on April 25.
Kommersant suggested that this was related to concerns that mobile internet networks could be used to direct drone attacks.
“Russian authorities will likely continue disconnecting large areas of Russia from mobile internet networks during Ukrainian long-range strikes,” the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War wrote on Wednesday.
It said that it would do this “to continue testing the Sovereign Internet system and, secondarily, prevent Russians from immediately circulating reports, imagery, and footage of the results of these Ukrainian strikes.”
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