May 5, 2026

At least 21 regions in Russia to cut off communication ahead of May 9, Nova-Europe found

In anticipation of parades and processions on May 9, large-scale shutdowns are planned in at least 21 regions of Russia, Nova-Europe calculated. When the internet will be turned off. Telecom operators and banks have started sending warnings about mass internet shutdowns in regions where May 9 celebrations, parades, and the "Immortal Regiment" processions will take place. Most often, the messages state that internet outages are expected from May 5 to May 9 inclusive. MTS, Yota, MegaFon, T2, and Beeline are warning of possible disruptions. Sber and Yandex Go services are also warning. Where the internet will be turned off. Earlier, the Russian service of BBC, citing sources, wrote that more "powerful" mobile communication restrictions are expected in Moscow this year. In particular, on May 5, 7, and 9, all mobile communication, SMS sending, and "whitelist" operation may be restricted in the capital. Later, "Ostorozhno, novosti" and "Kommersant" wrote about the same. In the evening of May 4, similar restrictions became known in St. Petersburg, Kazan, and the Moscow region. And today, regional media began to widely report on possible internet shutdowns ahead of May 9. Nova-Europe found similar messages in Astrakhan, Volgograd, Voronezh, Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Samara, Saratov, Tula, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. In addition, the same messages were published in the regional media of Krasnoyarsk and Smolensk. However, local authorities there deny the possible shutdown of the internet. Where the internet is already being turned off. Today, communication was turned off in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Around 12:30 Moscow time, the Ministry of Digital Development announced the completion of mobile internet blockages in Moscow. However, at 12:45, mobile communication restrictions in Moscow continued, according to the monitoring project Amnezia Puls. Mobile internet restrictions are also reported today in the Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, and Moscow regions, as well as in the Perm Territory. Context. Last year, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, the Kremlin first tested mass internet shutdowns in the capital. Since the morning of May 7, Muscovites began reporting disruptions in mobile communication and internet services.