Russia May Lift Mobile Internet Restrictions via Gosuslugi

Russia Proposes Easing Mobile Internet Limits for Verified Users

The Russian government has proposed lifting restrictions on access to online services and mobile internet for citizens whose phone numbers are linked to verified accounts on the Gosuslugi (State Services) portal. A corresponding letter, co-signed by Dmitry Gusev, first deputy chair of the State Duma's oversight committee, and leaders of IT industry associations, was sent to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on April 22. Experts surveyed by Expert declined to definitively assess the security implications of the measure but suggested that expanding the "white lists" of resources accessible even during network shutdowns should continue.

A "white list" is a registry of online resources that remain available over mobile data networks even when general access is cut off. Mobile internet restrictions in certain regions have been tied to drone attacks—likely exploiting cellular signals for navigation and telemetry transmission (though Ukrainian Telegram channels claim this technology is no longer in use).

Blocking network access for unregistered SIM cards would prevent drones from connecting to mobile networks. While new SIM cards now require registration via Gosuslugi, hundreds of thousands of previously issued cards remain effectively unregistered.

According to Russia's Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media (Mintsifry), as of July 2025, over 117 million Russians—95% of citizens aged 14 and older—were registered on the Gosuslugi portal. Lifting restrictions for all these users would be technically straightforward and cost-effective, since the white-list mechanism is already in place, Eldar Murtazin, lead analyst at Mobile Research Group, told Expert. He noted, however, that no technical regulations yet exist for adding citizens to these lists: "I expect the process to be simple: the primary SIM card linked to Gosuslugi will automatically be considered 'white-listed.' The mobile operator servicing that SIM will then grant it full network access."

In essence, this amounts to individual identification of mobile internet users. It remains unclear, though, how SIM cards used for IoT devices—such as those in electric boilers or barrier gates—would function, as they cannot be tied to a Gosuslugi account.

Including all Gosuslugi users in white lists could strain resources, Sergei Votyakov, chairman of the Russsoft association, warned in comments to Expert. He also cautioned that the move might increase attempts to hijack Gosuslugi accounts, despite existing safeguards. Murtazin, however, dismissed concerns about a surge in account thefts: "Accounts on Gosuslugi are well protected—unless users hand over their credentials themselves."