Russia cuts internet in its majority-Muslim republics

The Kremlin temporarily restricted access to popular websites and apps in Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia, likely testing its ability to isolate these regions during potential unrest.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on December 8, 2024, that the Russian Federation had intermittently blocked access to websites and applications in its majority-Muslim republics. This revelation was included in a report by the American organization focused on geopolitical issues affecting Russia.

The Kremlin reportedly blocked YouTube, Google, WhatsApp, and Telegram in Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia. Local services, such as Yandex, Russia’s internet giant, also faced access issues. The interruptions typically lasted a few hours, up to a full day in Dagestan; even VPNs failed to restore connectivity.

According to ISW, the Kremlin appears to be testing its ability to isolate these regions in the event of unrest, which is considered likely in an international context marked by the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. Moscow seeks to tighten its control over information in politically unstable republics. The Kremlin had previously cut off access to Telegram in Dagestan for several days in 2023 during antisemitic riots.