Russia has begun restricting mobile internet in Moscow and St. Petersburg days before its May 9 Victory Day celebrations, triggering widespread outages and disrupting payments, messaging services, and online platforms across both cities.
Users, cited by The Moscow Times, reported that mobile internet access dropped sharply after 7 a.m., with apps, websites, and even payment systems failing to load.
Even “white-listed” services – typically kept accessible during shutdowns – were reportedly unavailable in Moscow, while SMS messaging also stopped working.
Telecom operators attributed the disruptions to security measures. MTS [Russian telecom operator] described the situation as “external radio frequency interference,” while T2 said the restrictions were linked to holiday security preparations rather than network failures.
Over 3,000 complaints were logged in Moscow and nearly 4,000 in St. Petersburg in a single day, according to the Downdetector service.
In St. Petersburg, limited access was restored only to approved “white-list” services, meaning only a narrow set of state-sanctioned websites and apps remained reachable while the broader internet was blocked.
The city also experienced a temporary overnight internet blackout, which authorities linked to a reported Ukrainian attack.
The restrictions come amid heightened security ahead of Russia’s flagship annual military event – the May 9 Victory Day parade – a key Kremlin showcase marking the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany.
This year’s event has already been significantly scaled back. For the first time since 2007, no columns of heavy military equipment are expected to roll across Red Square.
Instead, the parade will feature infantry units, aviation teams, and Su-25 attack aircraft, but no tanks, armored vehicles, or other heavy hardware.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the parade will proceed in a “reduced format,” citing the “operational situation” and what Moscow describes as a continuing terrorist threat from Kyiv.
The heightened security measures come as diplomatic tensions and ceasefire proposals continue to unfold. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently proposed a one-day ceasefire for May 9 following discussions with US President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the proposal, calling it “not serious,” describing it as a “theatrical performance” and “manipulation” intended to protect the Victory Day parade rather than advance peace efforts.
Peskov said the temporary pause in hostilities “will be implemented” regardless of Kyiv’s response, adding that “a response is not, in fact, required.”
In response, Zelensky announced Ukraine would implement its own unilateral “regime of silence” starting May 6, directly challenging Moscow’s proposal for a short May 8-9 ceasefire.