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☆ Russia plans to try to block VPN services in 2024 - senator
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Demand for VPN services soared after Russia restricted access to some Western social media after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Senator Artem Sheikin said an order from the Roskomnadzor watchdog would come into force on March 1 that would block VPNs. "From March 1, 2024, an order will come into force to block VPN services providing access to sites banned in Russia," Sheikin was quoted as saying by state news agency RIA. Sheikin said that it was particularly important to block access to Meta Platforms (META.O), which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. He stressed that this order also applies to those VPN services that give access, in particular, to Instagram, which is banned in Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Artem Sheikin, Sheikin, Bobby McFerrin, Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Private Networks, United, Roskomnadzor, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russian, United Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Instagram

☆ Prigozhin-controlled Russian media group shuts amid mutiny fallout
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 2 (Reuters) - Yevgeny Prigozhin's media holding group is to shut down, the director of one of its outlets said, highlighting the mercenary chief's worsening fortunes a week after the collapse of a brief mutiny staged by his Wagner Group fighters. Patriot Media, whose most prominent outlet was the RIA FAN news site, had taken a strongly nationalist, pro-Kremlin editorial line, while also providing positive coverage of Prigozhin and his Wagner Group. Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Friday that the country's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor had blocked media outlets linked to Prigozhin, without elaborating. Despite the abortive mutiny, Russian authorities have not officially outlawed the Wagner Group, but Putin said on Tuesday the finances of Prigozhin's catering firm would be investigated. Under Prigozhin's leadership, the group has grown into a sprawling international business with mining interests and fighters in Africa and the Middle East.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Zubarev, Zubarev, Roskomnadzor, Prigozhin, Putin, Alexei Navalny, Felix Light, Gareth Jones Organizations: Wagner Group, Patriot Media, Kremlin, Russian, Kommersant, Patriot, Wagner, Russia, Thomson Locations: Belarus, United States, Russia, Ukraine, Africa, Ukraine's Crimea, Donbas

Atlanta/Hong Kong CNN —Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has invited Wagner Group mercenaries to his country to train its military. The Wagner leader was last spotted leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don last Saturday, after abruptly calling off his troops’ march on Moscow. Media group shut downLukashenko’s speech came as a Russian media group associated with Prigozhin shut down its operations. Russian state media TASS reported Friday that the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor has restricted access to media sites belonging to Patriot. Prigozhin, the founder of the private military company Wagner, had recently held the position of deputy head of the Patriot’s supervisory board.

Persons: Aleksandr Lukashenko, Wagner, Lukashenko, ” Lukashenko, defusing, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ”, Putin, Prigozhin, Don, Yevgeny Zubarev, Zubarev Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Wagner Group, Belarus ’, European Union, Media, Prigozhin’s Patriot, Federal News Agency, People’s, Economy, Politics, TASS Locations: Atlanta, Hong Kong, Belarus, Belarusian, Moscow, Russian, United States, Poland, “, Russia, Ukraine, Rostov, Minsk, Nevskiye Novosti

☆ Google News Blocked in Russia as Feud With Mercenary Leader Intensifies
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Nico Grant | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Several Russian internet service providers are preventing users inside the country from accessing Google News after Russian generals accused a mercenary leader, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, of attempting a coup. At least five telecommunications companies — including Rostelecom, U-LAN and Telplus — have blocked Google News, which aggregates news from various sources, according to an analysis from NetBlocks, an internet observatory. Several other internet service providers have begun reducing access as well, according to the analysis. Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for a comment. Late Friday, Russian officials accused Mr. Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, a mercenary organization, of trying to mount a coup against President Vladimir V. Putin, with Russian authorities opening an investigation into Mr. Prigozhin for “organizing an armed rebellion.”Russia’s internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, said in March 2022 that it would block Google News from the country’s internet users after the company paused advertising in Russia and took steps to block online content that spread false information to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Yevgeny V, Google didn’t, Mr, Prigozhin, Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: Google, Wagner Locations: Russian, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Russia tells Amazon Web Services to set up local representation or face restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 22 (Reuters) - Russia's state communications regulator Roskomnadzor has added Amazon Web Services (AMZN.O) and 11 other foreign technology companies to a widened list of firms it wants to open local offices or face penalties and possible bans. Moscow's subsequent invasion of Ukraine intensified Russia's disputes with Big Tech, ultimately leading to Twitter, Facebook and others being banned from the market. But despite the initial threats, may other listed web services remain operational and available, such as YouTube, Wikipedia, Telegram and Zoom. Amazon Web Services and another 11 mostly hosting sites were added on Thursday, Roskomnadzor's website showed. It was not immediately clear what the listing would mean for Amazon and others.

Persons: Roskomnadzor's, Alexander Marrow, David Evans Organizations: Web Services, Google, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, Big Tech, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ WhatsApp faces first fine in Russia for failure to delete 'banned' content
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, May 19 (Reuters) - Messenger service WhatsApp faces a maximum fine of 4 million roubles (51,500) after Russia accused it of failing to delete banned content, state-owned news agency RIA reported on Friday, citing a Moscow court. Although WhatsApp's parent company Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) was last year banned in Russia as an "extremist" organisation, the messenger app - which is widely popular in Russia - has not previously been threatened with legal proceedings for failing to remove prohibited information. The RIA report did not specify what information WhatsApp had allegedly failed to delete. At the outset of its military campaign in Ukraine, Russia introduced harsh new military censorship laws under which technology companies including Google, Wikipedia and Discord have been fined. ($1 = 77.7205 roubles)Reporting by Reuters Editing by Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia's VTB to launch digital bank on VKontakte social network
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Elena Fabrichnaya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, April 26 (Reuters) - Russian state-owned bank VTB (VTBR.MM) will launch a digital bank within the mobile messaging app of leading social network VKontakte, Russia's answer to Facebook, as Moscow seeks technological solutions to disrupted banking transfers. That made operations with banks abroad particularly challenging as many bank cards stopped working overseas and Russia was disconnected from global payment systems. The digital bank will enable customers to carry out everyday financial transactions such as money transfers, some bill payments and mobile phone top-ups, within the VKontakte app. VTB, which had launched banking services through Telegram in January, said it was prepared to shut down its bank on Telegram once Roskomnadzor had come to a final decision. "As of today, there has been no such decision, so the bank in Telegram works, although we have stopped actively promoting it."

☆ Russian censors scour the internet for claims Putin is a 'bald dwarf' or seriously ill, leaked documents show
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian government unit scours the internet for insults about Putin, reports say. Staff at the agency will reportedly hunt down insults about Putin classed as "negative discrediting information", including labelling the Russian president a "thief," or a "bald dwarf". They are allegedly charged with tracking comparisons of Putin to negative figures, such as serial killers or in pornographic films. The Kremlin has closely monitored the internet for signs of dissent, clamping down on Russian search engine Yandex, Reuters reported. According to a Wall Street Journal report last year, Putin never uses the internet because he's concerned about being spied on.

After learning about its Russian roots from Reuters, it removed Pushwoosh software from seven public-facing apps, citing security concerns. The U.S. Army said it had removed an app containing Pushwoosh code in March because of the same concerns. Pushwoosh code has been embedded into almost 8,000 apps in the Google and Apple app stores, according to Appfigures, an app intelligence website. "We haven't found any clear sign of deceptive or malicious intent in Pushwoosh's activity, which certainly doesn't diminish the risk of having app data leaking to Russia," he added. The CDC apps that contained Pushwoosh code included the agency's main app and others set up to share information on a wide range of health concerns.

☆ Porn and gambling sites are being used to tell Russians the truth about Putin's war
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Ukrainian woman uses porn and gambling sites to tell the truth about Putin's war in Ukraine. Baydachenko told Insider that advertising on these sites made sense because it was easy and affordable and increased the chance of Russians and Belarusians seeing them. "Adult and gambling sites have a Russian audience, and ad platforms can sell us this traffic." Baydachenko said using porn sites was a good way to reach Russians, but did not exclude much larger platforms operated by Meta and Google even if their stricter policies made them more difficult to do so. Indeed, Russia criticized Facebook for "restricting the official accounts of four Russian media outlets," Roskomnadzor, Russia's tech and communications regulator, said the day after Putin's forces invaded Ukraine.

☆ Russia fines Amazon over banned content for first time
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummarySummary Companies This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine. The Tagansky District Court said it had fined Amazon 4 million roubles in two separate cases, although its statement did not specify what these were. It also fined Amazon's streaming service Twitch 8 million roubles, also for not removing banned content. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterInterfax news agency reported that Amazon's fines concerned content about the distribution of drugs and information about how to commit suicide. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Alexander Marrow; additional reporting by Felix Light; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Kevin LiffeyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russian court fines TikTok for not deleting LGBTQ content
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-04 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A Russian court on Tuesday fined TikTok for failing to delete LGBTQ material, the country’s latest crackdown on Big Tech companies. The Tagansky District Court in Moscow issued the 3 million ruble ($50,000) penalty to the short-video sharing platform following a complaint by Russian regulators. TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance Ltd., didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this year, a court fined chat service WhatsApp and disappearing message platform Snapchat for failing to store Russian users’ data on local servers, following complaints by Roskomnadzor. Music streaming service Spotify and Match Group, which owns dating app Tinder, also have been hit by Russian fines.

☆ Russia demands Apple explain VK removal from App Store
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Alexander Marrow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies This content was produced in Russia, where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in Ukraine. MOSCOW, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Russia's communications regulator on Wednesday demanded an explanation from Apple (AAPL.O) after applications operated by the Russian state-controlled tech firm VK (VKCOq.L) were removed from the U.S. firm's App Store. VK runs Vkontakte, which with over 75 million monthly users is Russia's largest social network, often compared to Facebook. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterRoskomnadzor said Apple's actions had deprived millions of Russians of access to VK apps and demanded that it explain its decision. Regardless of location, the apps cannot be downloaded from any App store, said Apple, which terminated the developer accounts associated with the apps to comply with UK sanctions.

☆ No mention of opposition leader Alexey Navalny was too small to attract scrutiny from Putin's vast surveillance state, according to report
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Russian agency tasked with monitoring the internet was obsessed with dissident Alexey Navalny. The New York Times analyzed a trove of leaked Roskomnadzor records in a Thursday report. The Roskomnadzor records, though representative of only one of Russia's 85 regions, make clear that the authorities think Navalny remains a threat. Any articles, social media comments, or even websites where his name simply appeared in marginal links, were flagged by the agency, according to The Times. Roskomnadzor in conjunction with other facets of Russia's surveillance state also targeted anyone who supported Navalny, records show.

Starting in 2012, the year Mr. Putin retook the presidency, Roskomnadzor built a blacklist of websites that the companies were required to block. In 2021, authorities throttled access to the social media service to a crawl. It gathered information about government critics and identified shifting political opinions on social media. watch opponents and identify new threats to Mr. Putin, Mr. Voronin said. In the records, censors flagged ProUfu.ru for the critical Ukraine editorial written about Mr. Putin in February.

☆ Percheziţii la sediul unui ziar studenţesc din Rusia; Redactorii sunt urmăriți penal și nu au voie să iasă din casă
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-15 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +2 min

Sursa foto: Facebook/Jurnal DOXAPercheziţii la sediul unui ziar studenţesc din Rusia; Redactorii sunt urmăriți penal și nu au voie să iasă din casăPoliţia rusă a percheziţionat miercuri redacţia ziarului studenţesc DOXA şi domiciliile a patru din redactorii săi care realizaseră o înregistrare despre represiunea împotriva susţinătorilor lui Aleksei Navalnîi, opozant aflat în închisoare. Miercuri seara, această instanţă le-a interzis să utilizeze internetul timp de două luni, ca parte a restricţiilor preventive din timpul anchetei, a spus DOXA. „De facto, este arest la domiciliu”, a declarat avocatul Allei Gutnikova, Dmitri Zahvatov, care a denunţat „o decizie politică”. Redacţia DOXA a afirmat că a şters deja înregistrarea în cauză după o cerere din partea „jandarmului” rus al telecomunicaţiilor Roskomnadzor. Într-un comunicat, ONG-ul Amnesty International a declarat miercuri că percheziţiile ce vizează DOXA demonstrează că libertatea presei este în prezent „la cel mai scăzut” nivel în Rusia.

Persons: Aleksei Navalnîi, DOXA, Vladimir Metelkin, Dmitri Zahvatov, Redacţia DOXA Organizations: Miercuri, universitari, Amnesty International Locations: Rusia, Moscova

☆ Purtătoarea de cuvânt a lui Alexei Navalnîi, condamnată la 9 zile de închisoare
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-22 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +4 min

Un tribunal rus a condamnat-o vineri pe Kira Iarmîş, purtătoarea de cuvânt a opozantului Alexei Navalnîi, la nouă zile de închisoare pentru promovarea protestelor convocate pentru sâmbătă în sprijinul militantului anticorupţie, aflat în prezent în arest preventiv, relatează EFE, potrivit Agerpres. „M-au condamnat la nouă zile”, a scris Kira Iarmîş pe Twitter, după pronunţarea sentinţei în urma unui proces care nu a durat nici cinci minute, conform avocatei sale, citată de AFP. În pofida condamnării, ea a insistat cu apelul său către susţinătorii lui Navalnîi pentru a se mobiliza sâmbătă în toată ţara. Kira Iarmîş a fost reţinută joi seara, după o percheziţie la domiciliul său, la scurt timp după reţinerea unei alte colaboratoare a lui Navalnîi, Liubov Sobol, om politic şi avocată la Fondul împotriva corupţiei (FBK), fondat de Navalnîi. Iulia Navalnaia, soţia opozantului rus, şi-a făcut publică intenţia de a manifesta sâmbătă la Moscova.

Persons: Kira Iarmîş, Alexei Navalnîi, Veronika Poliakova, Aleksei Navalnîi, Vladimir Putin, Navalnîi, Navalnaia, Dmitri Peskov, Roskomnadzor Organizations: Agerpres, Interne, Facebook, Google Locations: Moscovei, Moscova, Rusia, Germania, Siberia, Federaţia Rusă

☆ Poliţia arestează aliaţi ai lui Navalny înaintea manifestaţiilor programate pentru weekend
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-22 | by ( ) www.zdg.md time to read: +4 min

„Ea a fost arestată pentru că lansat apeluri la manifestaţii neautorizate”, a declarat pentru AFP avocatul său. Un alt colaborator important al lui Navalny, Gheorghi Alburov, a anunţat şi el pe Twitter că a fost arestat, într-o gară a capitalei ruse. De naţionalitate belarusă, Vladlen Los, un avocat al organizaţiei anticorupţie a lui Navalnîi, a transmis şi el că a fost arestat şi a fost somat să părăsească Rusia. Echipa lui Navalny la Krasnodar (sud-vest) a indicat de altfel că responsabila sa, Anastasia Pancenko, a fost de asemenea arestată. Echipa lui Navalny a afirmat că a primit donaţii, totalizând aproape 10 milioane de ruble (112.000 euro).

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Liubov, Navalny, Kira Iarmîş, Gheorghi Alburov, Anastasia Pancenko, Roskomnadzor, Putin, Navalnîi, Igor Denisov, El Organizations: Agerpres, rus, Interne, Facebook, YouTube Locations: Rusia, Germania, Moscova, Krasnodar, manifestaţii, Negre, Siberia

☆ Rusia a reţinut mai mulţi aliaţi ai lui Navalnîi petnru a preveni protestul din 23 ianuarie
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-22 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +2 min

În ajunul acţiunii din 23 ianuarie în susţinerea opozantului rus Alexei Navalnîi, mai mulţi jurnalişti şi activişti au fost vizitaţi de către poliţişti. Vladlen Los, avocat belarus al grupului lui Navalnîi, a spus că a fost reţinut şi că i s-a spus să plece din ţară până luni, fiindu-i interzis să revină până în noiembrie 2023. Poliţia l-a mai reţinut pe o aliată a lui Navalnîi, Liubov Sobol, a spus aceasta, cerând oamenilor să participe la protest. TikTok a fost inundată cu video-uri pentru promovarea protestelor. Ulterior, administraţia platformei a început să şteargă imaginile video, ce conţin apeluri de participare la protestul anunţat pentru sâmbătă, 23 ianuarie.

Persons: Alexei Navalnîi, Navalnîi Kira Iarmîş, Navalnîi, Kira Iarmiş, Poliţia Locations: activişti, Rusia

☆ Rusia a arestat mai mulţi aliaţi ai lui Navalnîi pentru a preveni protestul din 23 ianuarie
▼ + stars: | 2021-01-22 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +2 min

Persons: Alexei Navalnîi, Navalnîi Kira Iarmîş, Navalnîi, Kira Iarmiş, Poliţia Locations: activişti, Rusia

☆ Duma de Stat a adoptat proiectele de lege privind interzicerea publicării informațiilor despre forțele de ordine și dreptul de a recunoaște cozile, formate pentru dreptul la pichetare, drept un miting
▼ + stars: | 2020-12-25 | by ( Redactia Zdg | ) www.zdg.md time to read: +2 min

Proiectul de lege a fost propus de deputații Dmitri Vyatkin și Vasili Piskarev din „Rusia Unită”, și de Dmitri Savelev, deputat din partea PLDR. Modificările sunt operate în Legea cu privire la protecția de stat a judecătorilor, a funcționarilor organelor de drept și de control. Noile măsuri se aplică în cazul judecătorilor, procurorilor, anchetatorilor, ofițerilor SFS și CA și organelor afacerilor interne, precum și angajaților din Garda de Stat, altor ofițeri de forță și apropiaților lor. De asemenea, Duma de Stat a adoptat în lectura a treia amendamente la Legea cu privire la adunări, mitinguri, demonstrații, procesiuni și pichetări. Proiectul de lege a fost propus de deputatul Vyatkin din „Rusia Unită”.

Persons: Duma de Stat, Dmitri Vyatkin, Vasili Piskarev, Dmitri Savelev, Duma de Organizations: Securitate, Duma de Stat, Uniunea Jurnaliștilor Locations: Rusiei, CA, Rusia Unită, Garda

☆ Rusia ar putea bloca marile rețele sociale online din Statele Unite ale Americii
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-19 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +3 min

Twitter a început etichetarea conturilor câtorva instituții media rusești cu descrierea “mass-media afiliată statului”, alături de cele ale personalului de conducere și a câtorva oficiali importanți din guvern în august, mișcare deplânsă de Rusia la acea vreme. Lăsați-i să se ocupe de clienții lor, pentru noi principala problemă este apărarea alor noștri împotriva discriminării”, a afirmat el. Potrivit proiectului legislativ, procurorul general al Rusiei și ministrul de externe vor defini ce resurse de pe internet restricționează accesul la “informații sociale importante bazate pe naționalitate, limbă sau legate de introducerea sancțiunilor împotriva Rusiei și a cetățenilor săi”. Autoritatea de supraveghere Roskomnadzor va putea apoi să le blocheze parțial sau în totalitate, potrivit actului normativ. Rusia de multă vreme caută să aibă mai mult control asupra folosirii internetului pe teritoriul său.

Persons: Duma, Vladimir Putin . Organizations: Russia Today, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Bell, LinkedIn Locations: Rusiei, Rusia Unită, Russia, Crimea, Rusia, Duma de

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