The Ulyanovsk region in central Russia has become the first in the country to officially suspend access to mobile Internet indefinitely, with local authorities confirming that the restrictions will remain in place “until the end of the war against Ukraine,” regional officials announced at a press conference on Nov. 8.
Regional Minister of Digital Development Oleg Yagfarov said that the decision had been made by the federal government and that local officials “cannot influence it,” calling the move a measure to ensure “state security.” “The restrictions will be lifted only by the decision of Moscow,” Yagfarov told reporters, emphasizing that the ban applies not only to Ulyanovsk but to other areas near “strategic facilities” across Russia.
Federal order, not a local choice
According to Yagfarov, the restrictions are part of a broader federal directive to expand the “security zones” surrounding sensitive infrastructure. Unlike previous temporary shutdowns during Ukrainian drone alerts, the new blackout is permanent and affects residential neighborhoods, social facilities, and office buildings.
At the press briefing, officials stressed that regional authorities share citizens’ frustration but are powerless to intervene. “These measures are not the whim of officials, not the mistake of performers who simply forgot to turn the Internet back on after an alarm,” local officials said.
“They are a necessity dictated by federal security requirements. Neither the communications operator, nor the minister, nor the governor can change the situation – only the Russian soldier can change it. This means the restrictions will be lifted after the physical elimination of the source of the threat,” the state-aligned Russian regional newspaper “Ulyanovskaya Pravda” wrote, echoing the government’s justification for the shutdown.
“White list” of approved sites
To mitigate the impact, the Ulyanovsk government has introduced a so-called “white list” of Internet services that remain accessible even during the shutdown. The list includes state and domestic platforms such as “Gosuslugi” (State Services), “Yandex” (Russia’s main search engine), “VKontakte” (a popular social media network), marketplaces “Ozon” and “Wildberries,” and the payment system “Mir.”
However, banking applications are still largely unavailable.
“Their launch is expected any day,” Yagfarov said, adding that new regional services – such as electronic school diaries and pharmacy delivery platforms – will gradually be added to the list.
Officials advised residents to rely on public wi-fi at administrative centers, noting that there are now over 450 free access points across the region. Citizens were also urged to switch to wired internet connections where possible, with local providers working “in enhanced mode” to expand coverage.
Residents left offline, told to adapt
While officials in Ulyanovsk promised to “assist people in adapting to new conditions,” many residents remain effectively cut off from mobile internet – for some, their only means of connectivity. The government acknowledged the difficulty but reiterated that the ban is “a federal measure linked to state security.”
Authorities encouraged users to contact their mobile operators for compensation or tariff adjustments.
“Many companies are meeting clients halfway and refunding payments,” the regional administration said.
A national trend of tightened control
According to The Moscow Times, internet shutdowns linked to “security concerns” have been recorded in more than 50 Russian regions since mid-2025, typically justified as protection against Ukrainian drone attacks. Until now, however, no region had declared the restrictions indefinite.
Last week, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree introducing “rules of centralized management of the public communication network.” Under the new framework, Russia’s communications regulator, “Roskomnadzor,” will gain the power to disconnect the Runet – the Russian segment of the internet – from the global web and block any sites deemed a threat to “stability, security, and integrity.”
The rules, which take effect in March 2026, allow intervention in cases such as “cyberattacks, overloads of communication nodes, disruption of critical facilities, or the spread of prohibited content.”
From temporary censorship to permanent isolation
The indefinite internet blackout in Ulyanovsk marks a significant escalation in Russia’s wartime control over information flows. What began as temporary “security” measures in response to drone alerts has now evolved into a federally mandated communications lockdown, with the government preparing legal tools to sever Russia’s online links to the outside world altogether.