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“Roskomnadzor should be put on trial”: Belgorod governor voices locals’ complaints over internet shutdowns, says they have led to deaths

People in border areas of Russia’s Belgorod Region “quite often” die because of a lack of mobile internet, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said during a recent live social media broadcast, according to a report by the Telegram channel Govorit NeMoskva

“They destroyed all of Moscow’s competitive advantages”: Internet shutdowns are taking their toll on the Russian capital

For two weeks now, Moscow has been experiencing problems with mobile internet. The restrictions, which the authorities justify on security grounds, are affecting not only ordinary people but also businesses. Carsharing, utility payments, transactions, parking, taxis — all of the digital services Muscovites had become accustomed to have been significantly disrupted, and there is no sign that they will be restored in full anytime soon. By the most conservative calculations, in just the first five days of the shutdown the capital’s businesses lost 3 billion rubles ($34.8 million). A similar situation is unfolding in many other regions.