Russian Cellphone Internet Shutdowns Reveal Kremlin’s Escalating Tight Grip on Freedom

Across vast swaths of Russia, from the war-torn southern border near Ukraine to distant Siberian cities, a silent crackdown is unfolding—cellphone internet links are being deliberately cut off, disrupting daily life for ordinary Russians. Officially justified as necessary to foil Ukrainian drone attacks, these sweeping blackouts paint a far grimmer picture: an authoritarian regime tightening its chokehold on information and freedom under the guise of national security. Who Pays the Price When Security Measures Become Tools of Suppression? Pavel Osipyan’s viral rap lamenting poor cellphone service in Rostov-on-Don might seem lighthearted, but it underscores a larger crisis. Vital services like...