May 6, 2026

How to Prepare for Internet Shutdowns

Massive shutdowns are being prepared in Moscow and over twenty Russian regions by May 9th. Russia has been living with partial shutdowns for a year, with the Kremlin first trying mass disconnections before the 80th anniversary of Victory Day. Throughout this year, authorities have generally explained these measures as 'fighting drones' or 'counter-terrorism operations.' However, now, ahead of the May 9th celebrations, many Russians may face a complete shutdown of the internet and communication services, as warned by telecom operators and banks themselves. 'Novaya Gazeta Europe' reminds readers how to prepare in the remaining days. Photos: Pavel Bednyakov / AP / Scanpix / LETA. VPN: We cannot predict the scale of the shutdown, whether specific websites, services, or the entire internet within the Russian Federation will be blocked. In the latter case, a VPN will not help. Nevertheless, it is important to secure a method for bypassing blocks in advance. A list of verified VPN services and messengers that can be used for both personal communication and work can be found in 'Novaya-Europe's' material. Communication: During a shutdown, you will be left without your usual communication methods. Calls may not go through, SMS messages may be delayed, and mobile internet may disappear altogether. Therefore, before traveling, meeting, or attending an event, arrange a plan with your loved ones in advance. Choose specific meeting points and write down addresses. It is especially important to instruct children and elderly relatives who may find it difficult to orient themselves. Charge your phone and power bank in time, disable automatic app updates, enable power-saving mode, write down important numbers on paper, and inform your loved ones where you will be throughout the day. Remember the existence of a landline phone (many still pay for it, though they haven't used it for a long time). Create a short list of important contacts. These could include relatives, friends, work, school or university, doctor, driver, nanny, neighbors. Write down emergency service numbers. In Russia, the main contact is 112. It serves as a single number for emergency services. For specific categories, there are short numbers: Fire and Rescue Services - 101. Police - 102. Ambulance - 103. Gas Service - 104. Keep in mind that without mobile internet and SMS, you will also not receive danger alerts in case of a drone attack. The 'Na svyazi' project draws attention to this. Photos: Igor Ivanko / AFP / Scanpix / LETA. Messengers Without Internet: There are applications for communication that do not require the internet. 'Na svyazi' publishes a list of alternative services and recommends downloading them all in case of a complete internet shutdown. 1. Newnode messenger. 2. Bridgefy. 3. Briar. 4. Vojer. 5. Walkie Talkie. 6. Berkanan. 7. Air Chat. 8. Divvy. 9. Airplane messenger. 10. Delta chat. Maps and Routes: A shutdown can cause a sense of disorientation even in your hometown. Don't panic: we often don't think about routes, relying on apps, but in reality, the urban environment is usually adapted for navigation without a navigator. For greater peace of mind, we recommend downloading offline maps of your neighborhood, city, and the routes you plan to take. If necessary, take screenshots of your route, addresses, nearest metro stations, bus numbers, and the times of the last train or bus. Allow extra time for important meetings. If mobile internet and communication are shut down, taxis may not arrive, car-sharing apps may not open, parking payments may not go through, and barriers may not open. Photos: Kirill Kalinnikov / Sputnik / Imago Images / Scanpix / LETA. Money: One of the most unpleasant effects of a shutdown is the absence of the usual payment system. If mobile internet is not working, banking apps may not open, transfers may not go through, SMS codes may not arrive, QR payments may not work, and taxi or delivery apps may not load. Russian banks and services warned before May 9th that communication restrictions could disrupt payments, travel, deliveries, and the operation of retail outlets. Prepare the necessary amount of cash and do it before the holidays, as some banks may operate on reduced schedules. It is best to have bills of various denominations. Entrepreneurs should also prepare to accept cash and inform customers about potential disruptions. Top up your travel card in advance, make payments that cannot be postponed, and save receipts and confirmations. If you need to receive a package, check into a hotel, or complete a registration, save codes, addresses, and order numbers. Access to Information: During a shutdown, you might feel like you are in an information vacuum: it's unclear where closures are, why communication isn't working, when it will be restored, and what is happening with transport and security. Save trusted information sources in advance. 'Meduza' recommended preparing offline access to news and long-form texts: 'during a sudden mobile shutdown, opening a website in a browser will likely not be possible, but already downloaded materials will remain at hand. One option is to install an RSS reader with offline mode, such as Feeder for Android or NetNewsWire for iPhone. RSS allows you to subscribe to media feeds, blogs, and podcasts. Some apps automatically download new publications when the internet is still available, and then allow you to read and listen to them offline. Another method is using 'read-it-later' apps, such as Instapaper for iPhone and Android or Matter for iPhone. In them, you can save articles from your computer or phone browser in advance and then read copies of the materials in the app even without internet. Individual texts can be saved as PDFs. Photos: Pavel Bednyakov / AP / Scanpix / LETA. Entertainment: Download movies, series, and books in advance. Remember the existence of physical books. If you have a player, remember CDs with movies or music. Spend time with friends or family outdoors or relax from the hustle and bustle alone. Remember: communication outages are undoubtedly very unpleasant, but they are not permanent. *** There is no universal list of tools for surviving in a mode of disconnected internet and mobile communication. 'Focus on your own needs, professional characteristics, and family situation. The most important thing we can help you with is to remind you and strongly recommend that you think about these subtleties in advance. Ask yourself questions: Where will I be if communication is lost for two hours? Or for a day? Who will look for me? Will I be able to get home without navigation? Will I be able to pay for food and transport? Do I have addresses, documents, medications, keys, a charger? Do my loved ones know what to do if I don't answer? Gather important documents. Think about how you would act in emergency situations. But do not panic.