Moscow Tightens Internet Grip with Strategic Jams and App Bans

The Kremlin intensifies internet restrictions, jamming mobile signals and blocking WhatsApp and Telegram to shore up domestic control amid the Ukraine conflict.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 21, 2026, 9:43 AM EDT

Source: Reuters

Strategic Jamming and the "Drone Threat"

In recent weeks, mobile internet has been systematically shut down in central Moscow and other major urban hubs. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov justified these disruptions as dual-purpose:

Legal Compliance: Pressure on foreign companies to adhere to Russian data laws.

Military Security: Preventing Ukrainian attack drones from using cellular networks for navigation.

The Fall of Global Messaging Apps

The crackdown has specifically targeted the primary communication tools used by millions of Russians: