Russian authorities have introduced a new restriction on mobile internet and SMS services for citizens returning from abroad, citing security concerns linked to drone attacks.
Russian news outlet Kommersant reports that the measure, described as a 24-hour “cooling-off period,” will disable mobile internet and text messaging for Russian SIM cards after subscribers return from international roaming or if their card has been inactive for more than 72 hours.
The same mechanism already applies to foreign SIM cards. It was first introduced in October 2025, also justified as a defense against the growing drone threat.
It remains unclear when exactly the restriction will come into effect for Russian subscribers, but sources say it will happen “in the near future.”
Authorities have reportedly approved a procedure for shortening the blackout period. A text message with a link will be sent to users, allowing them to click, solve a captcha, and restore access to SMS and internet services.
Experts told Kommersant that the decision is likely aimed at tightening control over SIM cards that might be used to guide drones.
“There are still many ‘orphaned’ SIM cards in circulation, including those registered to real people who don’t even know it. Such SIM cards often ‘return’ to us in drones,” said Anton Prokopenko, Product Director at Vigo, a developer of network monitoring tools.
Nikita Danilov, CEO of Fly Drone, told Vedomosti that many long-range combat drones are equipped with embedded SIM cards that enable internet connection and manual targeting during the final phase of flight.
However, Igor Beder, Director of Investigations at T.Hunter, noted that not all drones rely on mobile networks, as some can be controlled via radio, satellite, or autopilot, meaning the new measure would not fully prevent drone launches.
Meanwhile, an increasing number of downed Russian drones have been found equipped with Ukrainian SIM cards, apparently used to bypass GPS jamming by relying on cellular triangulation for more precise navigation.
At the same time, the presence of mesh modems on newer Russian drones suggests they are designed to maintain direct communication with one another, forming a network that stays connected even if one link is disrupted.
In late September, Ukraine’s Security Service detained two residents of the Kyiv region, including a former law enforcement officer, accused of supplying Russia with Ukrainian SIM cards used to guide drones during airstrikes.
According to the SBU, the suspects acted on instructions from Russia’s FSB, purchasing SIM cards in Ukraine and sending them to accomplices in the EU, who then forwarded them to factories producing combat UAVs in Naberezhnye Chelny and Yelabuga, Tatarstan.
The SBU said the pair were caught with smartphones containing evidence of communication with Russian handlers and EU-based intermediaries, as well as multiple SIM cards. Both have been charged with high treason and face life imprisonment.