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The big picture: Vladimir Putin's Kremlin is well known for exerting draconian control over the media as a means to keep Russian society in check. The internet is, of course, part of this strategy, and Russia has even prepared plans to disconnect its local network from the global online infrastructure if necessary.
Russia's Ministry of Digital Development plans to allocate a significant sum to upgrade the country's internet censorship system, known as Technical Measures to Combat Threats (TSPU). Already deployed across local network service providers, the Kremlin aims to spend nearly 60 billion roubles (about $660 million) over the next five years to enhance TSPU's capabilities.
A government proposal, obtained by Reuters, outlines the planned expansion of TSPU. The system combines hardware and software to manage network traffic, using a suite of homegrown tools controlled by Roskomnadzor, the Russian agency responsible for monitoring and censoring mass media, including information technology and telecommunications.
Under the proposal, the government would allocate $660 million from Russia's federal budget for 2025-2030 to advance TSPU. This includes purchasing new software and hardware, adding unspecified capabilities, and generally upgrading the system's current censorship tools.
Since 2019, a federal law has required Russian internet service providers to install TSPU equipment, which is provided by government authorities. The system is now widespread, with 6,000 specialized devices discovered across Russia's internet in 2022 alone. The additional $660 million investment would be a significant boost for Roskomnadzor, especially considering the agency's entire budget for 2023 was 32.15 billion roubles ($354 million).
One of the primary targets of TSPU censorship is virtual private networks, a popular service among Russian internet users. VPNs allow users to access independent media and international websites, but Russian authorities claim they are used to access previously blocked, illegal content. The government proposal suggests that a modernized TSPU could increase VPN-blocking efficiency to 96 percent.
However, Mazay Banzaev, founder of the Amnezia VPN service, argues that increasing censorship efforts against private networks will not deter users from accessing these tools. It's a cat-and-mouse game, Banzaev told Reuters, adding that while funding is important, the determination of skilled VPN programmers is even more crucial.