Mobile internet's been going down across central Moscow for over a week now, messing with millions of people's routines and hitting businesses hard. The Kremlin says it's blocking internet to stop Ukrainian drone attacks, but experts and rights groups think it's really about controlling what Russians can access online.

Daily Life Disrupted

The blackouts started hitting Moscow's edges on March 5, then moved downtown this week—and other parts of Russia have been dealing with this for months. People are dusting off old walkie-talkies and pagers just to stay in touch. Sales of walkie-talkies, for instance, have reportedly jumped by 27% on e-commerce platforms like Wildberries & Russ.

It's been a real mess for everyday life. Dmitry, a 31-year-old consultant in Moscow, described the situation as a "massive headache," noting his difficulties ordering taxis, sending work emails, and even messaging his family. At times, not only cellphone internet but also basic cellphone coverage for making calls has been completely halted in certain areas.

Businesses Face Severe Economic Fallout

Moscow's businesses are taking a serious financial hit. Cafes, restaurants, and shops that depend on mobile internet for transactions have reported massive losses, as customers cannot pay for services. ATMs and parking meters, which also rely on cellphone connectivity, have stopped functioning, creating widespread inconvenience.

Russia's business daily Kommersant estimated that Moscow's internet shutdown could be costing businesses around 1 billion rubles (approximately $10.9 million USD) daily. Taxi apps have tried to adapt, offering clients the option to call a taxi by phone and pay with cash, a stark return to older methods of commerce. Courier services and retail businesses have been particularly hard hit by the outages.

Official Justifications Meet Skepticism

Officials haven't really explained what's going on. The Kremlin stated this week that the outages aim to "ensure security" and will continue "as long as additional measures are necessary." However, they provided no specific details regarding the nature of these measures or their effectiveness against drone threats.

But experts aren't buying it. They say blocking internet won't actually stop Ukrainian drones. Instead, more people think this is a test run for permanent censorship—basically isolating Russia from the rest of the internet.

A Broader Push for Digital Control

Human rights activists suggest the shutdowns could be linked to Moscow's testing of a new "whitelist" system. Under it, Russians would only get access to a handful of government-approved sites and essential services. Officials previously indicated this whitelist would include "all resources needed for life," such as marketplaces, delivery services, and online pharmacies.

But the recent blackouts have exposed problems with even this controlled setup. During this week's cellphone internet outages in Moscow, even white-listed government services, top banks, and taxi apps unexpectedly stopped functioning. That could mean the system's still being built, or the government's testing something even stricter.

These blackouts fit a bigger pattern: since Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the government's been tightening its grip on the internet. The government's passed restrictive laws and blocked websites and platforms that won't play by its rules. Major social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram were blocked years ago.

Last year, Russia’s communications watchdog announced restrictions on popular messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram, further limiting digital communication options. Simultaneously, authorities have actively promoted a "national" messenger app called MAX, which critics view as a direct surveillance tool, allowing the state to monitor online activity more closely.

Russia's also built tech to monitor and manipulate internet traffic, giving authorities serious control over what happens online. Since the invasion, internet shutdowns have become routine across Russia—so much so that Top10VPN ranked Russia first globally for disruptions in 2025.

Even Russia’s own parliament, the State Duma, located just a few hundred yards from Red Square, has not been immune. This week, lawmakers inside the building said mobile internet basically disappeared, cutting them off from the outside world and killing both mobile and Wi-Fi.

These blackouts show the Kremlin's tightening its grip on Russians' digital lives, leaving millions in Moscow scrambling and increasingly cut off from the wider internet.