Blocking of YouTube in Russia

The conflict between Russian authorities and YouTube (owned by the American company Google) had a long history prior to the events of 2024 but escalated sharply against the backdrop of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In 2012, the then Head of the Ministry of Communications Nikolay Nikiforov first publicly stated the possibility of blocking YouTube in Russia due to the hosting of the film Innocence of Muslims, which led to partial blocks of the service in Chechnya, Dagestan, Omsk, and Volgograd at the initiative of local authorities.^[8] In 2015, YouTube twice faced federal blocking and inclusion in the Single Register of Prohibited Sites — first due to a video titled "Creation of the Russian Insurgent Army", and then due to the publication of full episodes of TV series from TNT (Fizruk and Chernobyl: Zone of Exclusion), which violated copyright.^[8] These precedents demonstrated the platform administration's willingness to make concessions to Russian demands to avoid blocking by removing disputed content at the request of Roskomnadzor.^[8]

A turning point occurred on March 11, 2022, when YouTube began blocking the channels of Russian state media, including the parliamentary channel "Duma TV", citing the need to comply with platform rules. The rules prohibited content "denying or minimizing documented violent events".^[9] This measure was perceived by Russian authorities as an element of "information war". On March 14, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy Anton Gorelkin stated that YouTube could suffer the fate of the previously blocked Facebook and Instagram if the platform "does not stop participating in the information war".^[10] On March 18, Roskomnadzor issued an official demand to Google to stop "spreading threats against Russian citizens", calling YouTube's actions "terrorist" — the formal pretext was advertisements containing political provocations.^[11]

In April of the same year, the blocking of the State Duma channel caused a new round of criticism. Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova urged Russians to prepare for a complete blocking of YouTube and to archive content, while the head of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation, Andrei Klishas, stated that the platform was moving towards an "outlaw" status in Russia.^[8] In parallel, Roskomnadzor began systematically imposing multi-billion ruble fines on Google for "failure to remove prohibited content", primarily related to coverage of the war in Ukraine, which Russian authorities characterized as "fakes".^[10][11] By July 2024, the total number of channels blocked at the request of Russian authorities exceeded 200, including accounts of musicians, writers, and public figures.^[8]

Despite the escalation, a complete blocking of YouTube was considered unlikely for a long time. As analysts noted, the video hosting service is integrated into the Google ecosystem, and its blocking could disrupt the operation of other critical services, including mapping, cloud storage, and especially the Android operating system, which dominates the Russian mobile device market.^[10] Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadaev repeatedly emphasized that blocking is an "extreme measure" that "will bring more harm than good due to the lack of decent Russian analogues".^[8] In 2022–2023, on prediction markets, the probability of YouTube being blocked within a year fluctuated from 90% (spring 2022) to 10-15% (autumn 2022), reflecting observers' uncertainty about the authorities' resolve.^[8]

Meanwhile, Russian authorities took systemic steps to create legal and technical conditions for controlling the Internet. A key element was the Sovereign Internet Law (2019), obliging Internet providers to install technical means for countering threats (TSPU), allowing for centralized management of traffic routing.^[9][10] Since 2022, active use of these tools began for the blocking of independent media and social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). Legislation was additionally tightened: on March 1, 2024, a norm on criminal liability for spreading information about ways to bypass blocks (e.g., VPN) came into force.^[10] In parallel, there was promotion of Russian YouTube analogues — VK Video (controlled by Gazprom-Holding's VKontakte under the leadership of Vladimir Kiriyenko, son of Sergey Kiriyenko) and Rutube. However, as even pro-government experts admitted, these platforms suffered from the "absence of a properly working recommendation system, full-fledged monetization for creators" and technical immaturity, described by content creators with the expression "bleeding from the eyes".^[12] By 2024, VK, despite billions in state investments and attempts to lure bloggers, continued to incur losses (34.3 billion rubles in 2023), and its video service experienced problems retaining creators after direct subsidies ceased.^[12]

In early 2024, the situation regarding access to YouTube in Russia continued to develop against the backdrop of continuing contradictions between Russian authorities and Google. In May–June 2024, YouTube blocked about 3,600 channels distributing Russian propaganda, which accounted for 38% of the total number of such blocks since 2020. This sharp increase in restrictions, according to some media, may have served as the immediate trigger for retaliatory measures by Russian regulators.^[13] As early as June, Anton Gorelkin publicly stated the possibility of slowing down the video hosting service in Russia, arguing this was necessary to counter the platform's "anti-Russian policy".^[13]

On July 12, 2024, Rostelecom warned of glitches in YouTube's operation.^[14] The turning point came in July, when the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Alexander Khinshtein, officially confirmed the preparation of measures to artificially limit the speed of access to YouTube. In his statement, he indicated that by the end of July, the download speed on stationary devices would decrease by 40%, and by the beginning of August, it would reach 70%. Khinshtein characterized these actions as a "forced step, directed not against Russian users, but against the administration of a foreign resource," which, he claimed, systematically ignores Russian legislation.^[15] This was the first direct admission of intentional slowdown by officials, whereas previously such assumptions were consistently rejected by government representatives and telecom operators.^[15]

The practical implementation of restrictions began on August 1, 2024, when users across Russia massively encountered the inability to play videos or extremely slow loading of content on personal computers and Smart TVs.^[2] Independent studies showed that the data transfer speed for video content from `googlevideo.com` domains was limited to 128 kbps, which allowed viewing video only in the minimum resolution of 240p.^[2] Russian telecom operators, including Rostelecom, publicly blamed Google for the deterioration in service quality, citing the "degradation" of the Google Global Cache infrastructure due to the company ceasing its maintenance after leaving the Russian market in 2022 following the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war.^[16] In response, Google representatives categorically rejected their involvement in the problems, stating that the slowdown "is not the result of any technical problems or actions on our part"^[3].

In November 2024, temporary expectations arose regarding a possible easing of restrictions after a meeting between Mosfilm General Director Karen Shakhnazarov and Vladimir Putin. Shakhnazarov spoke about the inadvisability of blocking YouTube, to which the president replied: "I will look into it".^[17] However, no subsequent official changes in access policy occurred, and a short-term improvement in service operation recorded by monitoring platforms turned out to be local and did not lead to the restoration of normal speeds.^[2][17]

The most significant tightening of restrictions occurred in mid-December 2024, when the slowdown massively affected mobile devices for the first time. According to the service Sboy.rf, the number of user complaints increased sharply from 1,000 (December 17) to 5,200 (December 18), and by December 19 exceeded 40,000 requests.^[18][19] Google statistics recorded a 20% drop in traffic on December 18 compared to the previous day and a further 7% drop on December 19. Experts characterized these events as the "third wave" of throttling, noting its total nature, unlike previous stages.^[18][19] This situation coincided with the "Direct Line with Vladimir Putin", during which blogger Vlad A4 asked a question about the advisability of blocking YouTube. In response, the president repeated the thesis about Google's responsibility.^[18]

After the West began to impose restrictions, Google reduced funding, reduced the supply of appropriate equipment here, and thus created problems for itself.

Throughout the entire period of throttling, Roskomnadzor maintained an ambivalent position. On the one hand, the agency did not officially confirm its participation in the restrictions, continuing to attribute problems to "technical degradation of equipment" by Google.^[18] On the other hand, statements emphasized that "numerous violations of Russian legislation, disrespect for our country and citizens are grounds for taking measures against YouTube", and the regulator has "enough tools to motivate the company"^[18]. In November 2024, the amount of fines on Google exceeded 2 undecillion rubles, which exceeds all global wealth.^[20] By the end of 2024, the total volume of fines imposed by Russian courts on Google since 2021 exceeded 34.5 billion rubles, creating additional legal barriers to normalizing the service's operation.^[3]

Russian authorities, represented by Roskomnadzor and senior officials, consistently presented the actions (or inaction) of Google itself as the reason for the service's deterioration. A key argument was the claim of alleged "degradation of Google Global Cache within Russia." This system of caching servers, designed to speed up content delivery to users, ceased to be properly maintained and updated after the cessation of operations of Google's Russian subsidiary in 2022 against the backdrop of the war and the imposition of international sanctions. Roskomnadzor and telecom operators such as Rostelecom stated that Google does not supply new equipment and does not fund the support of existing equipment, which led to capacity overload and physical wear of servers, especially noticeable under conditions of growing traffic.^[21] This position was subsequently supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin during the "Direct Line".^[21][22]

Simultaneously, authorities linked the slowdown to Google's systematic non-compliance with Russian legislation. Key grievances included: refusal to localize Russian user data within the Russian Federation, failure to remove content recognized by Russian courts as extremist or otherwise prohibited (including materials about the invasion of Ukraine), and the blocking of pro-state Russian channels and mass media, which began as early as March 2022.^[7] Roskomnadzor and representatives of the State Duma (e.g., Anton Gorelkin and Alexander Khinshtein) repeatedly accused YouTube of participating in an "information war", "disrespect for the country", and applying "politically motivated censorship". Authorities positioned the throttling not as an end in itself, but as a "forced measure of pressure" on the company to compel it to comply with Russian laws, threatening a possible complete blockade in case of further disobedience.^[4][22]

Google categorically rejected accusations of involvement in the service's degradation for technical reasons. The company stated that the slowdown "is not the result of any technical problems or actions" on its part.^[21][22] Instead, Google pointed to deliberate actions by Russian regulators to limit traffic. This view was supported by many independent experts, IT analysts, and human rights activists. They put forward the version that the state used technical means for countering threats (TSPU), implemented under the "Sovereign Internet Law".^[4] TSPUs are deep packet inspection (DPI) devices installed on telecom operator networks and managed by Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Digital Development. Experts, such as Vitaly Listratkin (founder of the telecom group Interra), explained that it is these tools, not the telecom operators, that implement the slowdown or blocking policy based on rules downloaded daily by the regulator.^[4] Some media sources (e.g., Gazeta.ru) and analysts suggested that references to GGC problems serve as a cover for the gradual introduction of restrictions, tested first on stationary versions (where throttling reached 40-70% according to Khinshtein's statements) and then extended to mobile internet.^[4]

Against the background of the YouTube slowdown, a significant role in discussions is played by the policy of import substitution of digital platforms, actively promoted by state structures and state corporations.^[23] One of the key versions is the hypothesis of deliberate actions by Russian authorities to weaken the position of the foreign video hosting service in favor of domestic platforms affiliated with state structures and companies, such as Gazprom-Media. Analysts and experts, including foreign media, note that the slowdown of YouTube traffic coincided with the active development and promotion of Russian alternatives, primarily Rutube (controlled by Gazprom-Media) and VK Video (part of the VKontakte ecosystem, where Gazprom is the largest indirect shareholder via a fund).^[9][24] This strategy is interpreted as an attempt to create artificial competitive advantages for national services that have actively invested in infrastructure: for example, Rutube announced plans to spend 30 billion rubles on updating its technical base, and VKontakte deployed a CDN network of 10,000 servers.^[24][25]

Indirect confirmation of the economic-political undertone of the slowdown is provided by statements from Russian officials linking YouTube's problems to the need to comply with local legislation and support "national digital products." Khinshtein, commenting on the situation in July 2024, emphasized that "the degradation of YouTube is a forced step, directed not against Russian users, but against the administration of a foreign resource" ignoring Roskomnadzor's requirements.^[26][27] At the same time, as noted by the BBC, VK Video and Rutube received administrative support, including legislative initiatives facilitating their development, such as the mandatory registration of bloggers with Roskomnadzor for monetization, which created barriers for bloggers.^[9]

The motivation for this approach, according to political analysts, lies in the realm of controlling the information space. YouTube, remaining the largest video platform in Russia (95.5 million users in June 2024), retained the role of a key channel for independent media and opposition bloggers, whose content was often recognized by authorities as "undesirable".^[25][27] The slowdown allowed, on the one hand, limiting access to such content, and on the other, stimulating the migration of the audience and creators to Rutube or VK Video, where the moderation policy meets state requirements.^[9][28] The effect is confirmed by statistics: after the start of the slowdown, Rutube recorded a 7.5-fold increase in views, and its audience increased to 80 million users by mid-2025.^[24] At the same time, as noted by human rights activists, the YouTube slowdown became part of the general trend of restrictions on the Runet.^[9]

Blogger BadComedian in an interview with Daily Storm expressed a similar assumption that the YouTube slowdown may be part of a competitive struggle. In his opinion, the goal is to redistribute the audience and content in favor of Russian platforms such as VK Video and Rutube, which are affiliated with the Gazprom-Media holding.^[29][30] Bazhenov noted that despite active promotion, Rutube and VK Video, in his assessment, remain less convenient for users and content creators. He criticized the design, recommendation algorithms, and administrative policy of these platforms, stating that they are incapable of fully replacing YouTube.^[30] BadComedian emphasized that his criticism is based on personal experience using the platforms. He called for considering the YouTube slowdown in the context of the lack of adequate competition from Russian services.^[29] The blogger also linked the situation to the desire of Russian authorities and affiliated structures to develop national analogues, even if this is done by artificial methods.^[29][30]

There are no other platforms. Speaking objectively. Take VK — a terribly laggy service, disgusting. VK itself. VK on TV — they completely copied YouTube, it's good. Here I won't lie, it really is a normal app, but that's only on TV. On a computer, it's a disgusting, terrible thing. And they [pro-Russian YouTube analogues] will never catch up to YouTube in terms of content quantity. Also, the recommendations there are ordinary, not just what's trending, but simply suggested videos filled by admins: some TNT show, some "Voice". Not internet stuff at all. They made a part of TV on Rutube — it's uninteresting and you don't want to post anything there. It seems to me there is no sense in switching to these platforms. It's better to watch on YouTube itself. Or look for ways around it, but watch on YouTube.

In response to the Russian authorities' decision to slow down YouTube, users began actively applying technologies to bypass restrictions, including VPNs and tools to counter DPI (Deep Packet Inspection).

In January 2026, Russian internet service Beeline updated their mobile app, adding the ability to watch YouTube videos without any block circumvention services. The feature is available with a "Plan B" subscription and does not allow watching videos outside the Beeline app.^[31]

VPNs remain one of the most common ways to bypass restrictions. They allow masking the user's real IP address, redirecting traffic through servers in other countries. According to TechRadar, after the introduction of YouTube throttling in July 2024, demand for VPNs in Russia rose sharply, especially for services supporting Xray and obfuscation protocols, which are harder to detect using DPI.^[32] Some providers offered specialized solutions for accessing YouTube, highlighting high speed and ease of setup.^[33] However, Russian authorities tightened control over VPNs: in July 2025, about 25 VPN applications were removed from Google Play and the App Store, and the use of such services in some cases began to fall under the law banning the bypassing of blockades.^[32]

An alternative to VPNs became tools that neutralize deep packet inspection (DPI) methods used by Russian internet providers. For example, one of the most famous and used programs among citizens, GoodbyeDPI, developed by Valentin Vazhdik (known by the nickname ValdikSS), allowed bypassing restrictions by manipulating TCP packets and fragmenting requests. Users reported that changing parameters (such as `--dpi-desync-fooling=md5sig` to `--dpi-desync-fooling=badseq`) could temporarily restore access to YouTube.^[34][35] Another solution was the Zapret project, which used a combination of DNS over HTTPS and DPI desynchronization methods. However, by mid-2025, its effectiveness decreased due to updates to the "Golden Dome" filtration system, limiting the volume of transmitted data to 16 KB per request.^[34]

The effectiveness of bypass methods varied depending on the provider and region. For example, Rostelecom users in the Moscow region noted the success of parameter `-11` in GoodbyeDPI, whereas in the Krasnodar Krai, simpler settings like `-1 -e1` worked.^[35] Experts from Roskomsvoboda recommended combining several tools, including self-hosted VPNs (e.g., Amnezia VPN) and alternative browsers (Tor, FreeBrowser), to reduce the risk of blocking.^[32]