A new law signed by Putin grants the FSB the authority to order telecom operators to disconnect individuals from internet and mobile services. This long trajectory toward centralized digital control that has been unfolding for years, especially since the 2019 “sovereign internet” framework, which already laid the groundwork for isolating Russia’s domestic network from the global internet if necessary.
The legislation helps telecommunications providers to cut communications access upon the requirement of the FSB, while shielding those companies from any legal liability for outages. In practical terms, that means the state security apparatus can legally disconnect individuals or entire regions from the internet and mobile networks at will, under conditions defined by presidential regulation.
Governments historically move to control information flows first, long before they impose overt capital controls. I have warned repeatedly that the next phase of government intervention would not begin with seizing bank accounts outright, but with restricting the free flow of communication. The new law allows authorities to restrict connectivity without court oversight, which further centralizes power in the executive and security services. The bill evolved from vague “requests” to binding “requirements” from the FSB, meaning telecom providers are legally required to comply with shutdown orders across internet, mobile, calls, and messaging services.
They justify this as counter-terrorism and defense against security threats, including drone warfare and cyber risks, yet historically such language has always been used to expand state surveillance powers. Russian authorities have already blocked major platforms, restricted messaging services, and pushed citizens toward state-monitored applications, all under the banner of national security and technological sovereignty.
Digital shutdowns increase systemic risk in modern economies that rely on online banking, digital payments, logistics, and real-time financial transactions. Even temporary internet disruptions can trigger spikes in cash withdrawals and anxiety over digital isolation, which is a classic sign of declining institutional trust.
The Soviet Union restricted communication channels, China built the Great Firewall, and now Russia is formalizing a legal framework to disconnect individuals digitally. By granting the FSB authority to disconnect communications nationwide or individually, the state effectively gains a “kill switch” over the digital economy. That extends beyond politics into commerce, finance, and even emergency infrastructure. Control the communication networks, and you control the flow of capital, opinion, and resistance. That has always been the unspoken objective behind expanding surveillance laws, regardless of the political system implementing them.