In recent years, there have been concerns about Vladimir Putin's attempts to control the internet in Russia. A significant event occurred on January 30th when a widespread internet blackout affected numerous websites and platforms in the country. This incident has raised questions about whether Putin finally has his internet kill switch.
The cause of the blackout is still uncertain, but it was reported that a DNSSEC failure resulted in the temporary unavailability of Russian-language websites with .ru and .?? domains. The official explanation described it as a mere technical failure. However, some suspect that this blackout is part of a larger plan to restrict internet access and gain greater control over information, similar to censorship models observed in China and Iran.
The concept of Russia's 'sovereign internet' has been in development for some time. In early 2019, Putin signed the Russian Internet Law, which aimed to disconnect Russia from the World Wide Web to safeguard its information ecosystem from external interference. The law sought to establish an alternative domain name system, creating a parallel internet infrastructure that Russia could switch to if necessary.
While the initial intention was to ensure resilience in case of a disconnection from the global web, it became evident that this sovereign internet could be utilized to cut off the flow of information to and from Russia, potentially stifling dissent. In essence, it granted the Russian government the power to control the internet within its borders.
Technical challenges initially made implementing this split internet system difficult. Tests conducted earlier showed that Russia's internet could be isolated temporarily, but it would quickly come back online. The capability to create the sovereign internet, known as RuNet, was reportedly achieved by October 2019, with servers deployed in internet service providers (ISPs) across the country. Periodic testing has taken place since then, with varying levels of success.
The recent internet blackout raised suspicions that it may have been an experiment to evaluate the functionality of the isolated Russian internet. Despite the official explanation of a technical error causing the outage, it does not negate the larger issue at hand—the existence of a system that grants significant government control.
The DNS Security (DNSSEC) failure, which was blamed for the blackout, had a limited impact on users connected to Russia's National Domain Name System. This domestic infrastructure, established in 2019, duplicates the existing domain name scheme responsible for routing internet traffic within Russia. In an emergency, federal regulators hold the authority to direct traffic to the national DNS, giving them a means to exert control over internet access.
In recent years, Russia has been increasingly engaging in online censorship and disruptions, particularly against the backdrop of the Ukraine conflict. Measures such as proposed VPN bans and the blocking of popular messaging apps during sensitive times highlight the country's efforts to control information flow.
The Net Freedoms Project points out that Russian authorities have long expressed their intention to transition all users in the country to a national DNS server. It appears that this ambition is currently being realized, as numerous sites in the .ru zone are being affected. With tensions rising and the upcoming presidential election in March, the timing is critical. The national DNS and the involvement of Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal censor, increase the state's ability to monitor internet browsing data and influence the flow of information.
Whether the events of January 30th foreshadow what may occur in March remains uncertain. However, the possibility of internet disruptions in Russia seems to be increasing. As I mentioned in 2019, there is growing concern that Russia is heading down a path of censorship and isolation similar to that of China.
The split internet in Russia is no longer a mere concept; it has become a reality. Consequently, the broader risk of Putin having an internet kill switch now appears plausible. The implications of this development are significant, as it marks another step toward a more controlled and restricted internet environment in Russia.
