Despite ongoing VPN blocking, the head of the Human Rights Council, Valery Fadeev, stated that it is impossible to completely ban or shut down VPN in Russia — any attempt to do so would break the entire internet infrastructure. Against the backdrop of active measures to restrict international traffic in the country, this statement sounds like an acknowledgment of technical realities. Let’s break down what is happening with VPN in Russia right now and what Android device users should expect in the future.

Analyzing the likelihood of a complete VPN ban in Russia

Can VPN Be Banned in Russia

In a conversation with RBC, Valery Fadeev acknowledged that VPN is a highly complex system that cannot simply be switched off. According to him, if they tried to shut everything down, “the entire massive internet system could simply be broken.” VPN channels are used by banks, enterprises, and programmers — it is a fundamental secure communication technology without which no major business can operate.

Fadeev emphasized that he never called for shutting down VPN. At the same time, he expressed regret that citizens use this technology to access information sources blocked in Russia, calling it a matter of “civic awareness” rather than legal restrictions.

What Is Happening with VPN in Russia

Fadeev’s statement came against the backdrop of massive government pressure on VPN services. Roskomnadzor set a goal: to achieve 92% effectiveness in VPN blocking by 2030. The blocking system in 2026 has been allocated 20 billion rubles from the budget. By the end of February 2026, 469 VPN services had already been blocked.

VPN functionality is already significantly restricted

In parallel, authorities discussed introducing fees for international VPN traffic for mobile operators — approximately 150 rubles per gigabyte over the limit. The measure was initially planned for May 1, 2026, but operators were not ready in time, and the deadline has reportedly been pushed to autumn. Also, starting April 1, 2026, the “Big Four” operators, on instructions from the Ministry of Digital Development, disabled Apple ID balance top-ups from mobile accounts, making it harder to pay for VPN subscriptions on iPhones.

Major Russian platforms (VK, Ozon, Wildberries, Yandex) were instructed to identify and deny access to users with VPN enabled. According to sources, services that have already implemented such restrictions are losing traffic and purchases.

The VPN Situation in Russia in 2026

For owners of Android smartphones and tablets, the VPN situation is one of the most practically noticeable. Many apps have already been removed from Google Play for the Russian region, and free services are being massively blocked through traffic filtering equipment (TSPU).

Explaining the current VPN situation

At the same time, VPN technology itself is not illegal. What is considered a violation is using VPN to access resources from Roskomnadzor’s registry. Since 2025, the Administrative Offenses Code provides liability for intentionally searching for extremist materials through means of bypassing blocks, as well as for advertising VPN services.

Corporate VPNs (for remote work, connecting to work servers) remain fully legal. Roskomnadzor separately stated that it does not restrict corporate VPN use within the country. This is important for those working in IT, finance, or for international companies.

Will VPN Be Unblocked in Russia

The words of the HRC head should not be taken as a signal of relaxation. Fadeev acknowledged the technical impossibility of a complete VPN shutdown but did not propose lifting current restrictions. His position: VPN is needed for business, but citizens should voluntarily refrain from using prohibited sources.

VPN blocks may eventually come to an end someday

The head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Maksut Shadaev, stated back in March that the ministry is obligated to carry out the task of reducing VPN usage in Russia. State Duma deputies clarified that a complete VPN ban is not being considered, and introducing administrative liability for users is not currently on the agenda. However, the very fact that fines for using such services were discussed at a Ministry of Digital Development meeting has already been documented. VPN app downloads in Russia grew 14 times year-over-year by the end of March 2026. This indicates that demand is only growing despite all the measures.

What VPN Users in Russia Should Do

Practical takeaways for Android users:

  • Free VPNs from Google Play most likely no longer work or work unreliably (their addresses have long been blacklisted)
  • Corporate VPN for work has not been banned and there are no plans to ban it
  • Simply having a VPN app on your smartphone is not a violation of the law
  • Fines are imposed for intentionally accessing extremist materials and for advertising tools to bypass blocks
  • Operators may introduce fees for international traffic — tentatively in autumn 2026

The VPN situation in Russia continues to tighten, but a complete shutdown of the technology remains impossible — and this is acknowledged even at the level of the presidential Human Rights Council. For the average Android user, this means VPN is not going anywhere, but using it will become more difficult and likely more expensive.