Mobile Internet Shut Down in St. Petersburg and Region, Citing Drone Threat
Russian authorities cut mobile internet in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region on July 10, introducing so-called white lists under the pretext of protection against Ukrainian drones.
Mobile Internet Blocked in St. Petersburg and Region
On the evening of July 10, a massive mobile internet blackout occurred in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, with user access restricted through so-called "white lists" – another tool of Kremlin censorship being implemented under the guise of "protection" against Ukrainian drones, according to Russian outlets Fontanka and The Moscow Times.
By 9:50 PM Moscow time, Downdetector recorded over 600 complaints within an hour, with the daily total exceeding 4,500. Russians report that most websites and messengers are blocked, and the network operates in a strict censorship mode, allowing access only to a pre-approved list of resources.
According to Fontanka readers, harsh restrictions are in effect in the Central, Vasileostrovsky, and Vyborg districts. Earlier, mobile operator MTS sent subscribers warnings about service disconnections citing "security reasons." Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko quickly justified the shutdown as a response to drone attack threats.
Russian authorities regularly use the "defense against Ukrainian drones" narrative to justify internet censorship. Previously, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin directly stated that disabling mobile internet in regions was necessary to counter drone strikes. However, analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) emphasize that the Kremlin is deliberately using Ukrainian drone attacks on military facilities in Russia as a convenient cover to build a "digital gulag."
Earlier, Putin ordered the FSB to organize internet access in Russia using a "white list" system, effectively turning the Russian network into a closed, isolated space similar to North Korea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the Kremlin is preemptively restricting access to information to prevent massive riots and protests in the event of a large-scale mobilization. According to Zelensky, forced conscription will primarily target residents of major Russian cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, to form reserves for new offensive operations.
Based on data from Ukrainian journalists and military analysts, the Kremlin plans to mobilize hundreds of thousands of additional people, and a complete digital blackout would prevent Russians from coordinating protests, buying tickets, or tracking queues at borders for a quick escape if mobilization is announced in the fall.
