Russia VPN Blockade Triggers Banking Outages

Russian authorities' intensified efforts to block virtual private networks (VPNs) have inadvertently triggered widespread banking outages across the country, forcing millions of users to rely on cash for transactions over the weekend, according to Telegram founder Pavel Durov.

The disruptions stemmed from recent actions by Roskomnadzor, Russia's communications regulator, which has long sought to enforce a ban on the Telegram messaging app imposed years ago. Despite the prohibition, Durov stated that more than 50 million Russians send at least one message on the platform daily, with total active users reaching around 65 million. Users have consistently bypassed the restrictions using VPNs, which mask internet traffic to evade blocks. In a post on his Telegram channel dated April 4, 2026, Durov explained that the latest crackdown targeted encrypted traffic and tunneling protocols essential for VPNs, overloading the country's filtering systems and causing network instability.

This escalation disrupted not only access to banned services but also critical domestic applications. Banking platforms experienced significant failures, rendering digital payments unreliable and leaving cash...