Kremlin blocks the communication possibilities of citizens who are hostile to the regime of the Russian dictator Putin.
Points of attention
- The blocking of the Signal messenger in Russia is related to the government's efforts to track opponents of the Kremlin regime.
- According to British intelligence, Signal is widely used by Russian journalists and activists to circumvent electronic government monitoring.
- The Russian government also restricts access to YouTube and WhatsApp in order to control information and media in the country.
- The Russian Federation is considering blocking the Google browser along with Android and iOS systems, deepening censorship and control over the Internet.
Why did Russia block the Signal messenger
As noted in the summary, on August 9, Russian mass media reported that Roskomnadzor had blocked the use of the encrypted Signal messenger in the country.
The official justification is that this is done to "prevent the use of the messenger for extremist or terrorist purposes."
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine — 19 August 2024.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 19, 2024
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However, some commentators have suggested that the ban is aimed at preventing the spread of information about Ukraine's operation in the Kursk region, but this is extremely unlikely.
British intelligence indicates that Signal is being used by many independent Russian journalists and opposition activists to bypass the Russian government's comprehensive electronic monitoring system, primarily the FSB's System of Operational-Tracing Measures (SORM).
According to British intelligence, in this context the restriction of Signal is probably aimed at expanding the capabilities of the Russian authorities to monitor and restrict the communications of private citizens hostile to the regime.
It comes at a time when the Russian government is banning independent media organizations and blocking YouTube and the messaging service WhatsApp. The measures are aimed at strengthening state control over access to mass media and information in Russia, the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
Signal is a messaging app. All messages are encrypted from device to device: This means that only the sender and recipient can read the message. The Signal code is publicly available.
YouTube does not work in Russia and occupied Crimea
On August 8, YouTube stopped downloading on computers and mobile devices of users in Russia. Video hosting also stopped working in occupied Crimea.
It will be recalled that earlier Russia restricted the broadcasting of 81 European mass media on its territory.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation called this a response to the decision adopted by the Council of the European Union to ban any broadcasting activity by the propaganda media RIA Novosti, Izvestia MMTC and Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Also in The State Duma of the Russian Federation is preparing to block the Google browser and with it the Android and iOS systems.
More on the topic
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- Додати до обраного
