February 12, 2026
Russia uses new website blocking method as YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp Web, and independent media “disappear” from state DNS system
Russia has begun using a new mechanism to restrict access to websites, according to a report by the independent project Na Svyazi (lit
TL;DR
- Russia is using its National Domain Name System (NSDI) to block websites by removing their domain addresses.
- This method makes sites inaccessible for users whose providers use the NSDI, effectively making them "disappear."
- YouTube, WhatsApp Web, Instagram, and several independent media sites have been affected by this mass removal of entries from the NSDI.
- Experts refer to this as DNS tampering, a technique previously used selectively but now being applied on a larger scale.
- The NSDI is a government-backed infrastructure created under Russia's "sovereign internet" law, mirroring the global DNS but requiring telecom operators to use it as their data source.
- This system gives regulators centralized control over which domain names are recognized within Russia.
- While not officially blocked, some sites have been "slowed" or made inaccessible through this new mechanism.
- VPNs are currently effective in bypassing these NSDI-related restrictions.
- Roskomnadzor previously confirmed plans to "slow down" Telegram, with restrictions on messaging apps having a history of escalating since January 2024.
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