Russia Proposes VPN Fines Up to 700,000 Rubles

Russia's government is escalating its efforts to curb the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs, through proposed legislation that would impose hefty fines on individuals and businesses, alongside a series of technical blocks and restrictions aimed at limiting access to blocked online content.

The measures, advancing through the State Duma, target unauthorized VPNs that millions of Russians employ to bypass internet censorship. Individuals caught using such tools to access prohibited sites could face fines of up to 30,000 rubles, about $300, while companies might incur penalties as high as 700,000 rubles, or roughly $7,000. Internet service providers failing to comply with blocking orders would also be subject to escalating fines, and noncompliant VPN services could be shut down entirely. Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev confirmed the push on Monday, stating in a discussion on the state-backed messenger Max, "We have an obligation to fulfill the tasks that have been set before us. In this case, the task is to reduce the use of VPNs."

These proposals build on Russia's long-standing restrictions, which began with a 2017 law requiring VPN providers to register with...