<p>Russia plans to block certain Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and protocols which are deemed by a commission of experts to pose a threat, state news agency <em>RIA</em> reported citing correspondence from the digital ministry.</p><p>Demand for VPN services soared after Russia restricted access to some Western social media after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022.</p><p>A 2017 Russian law obliged providers of VPN technology to cooperate with the Russian authorities and to restrict access to content banned by Russia or be banned themselves.</p>.Four killed in building collapse in China's Wenzhou city.<p>Many VPN services remain widely in use throughout Russia and there has been a public debate among lawmakers about how much further to go in blocking VPN services which still allow access to banned information but also a host of other information.</p><p><em>RIA</em> quoted a reply from the digital ministry to an address by lawmaker Anton Tkachev who had raised concerns about what he said were plans to essentially block all VPNs, a step he said would increase pressure on Russians by cutting them off from using some simple household appliances.</p><p>"On the basis of a decision by the expert commission... the filtration of certain VPN services and VPN protocols can be carried out on the mobile communication network for foreign traffic which is identified as a threat," RIA quoted the ministry as saying.</p><p>RIA said that the ministry said that circumvention of restrictions on certain information was considered a threat. </p>
<p>Russia plans to block certain Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and protocols which are deemed by a commission of experts to pose a threat, state news agency <em>RIA</em> reported citing correspondence from the digital ministry.</p><p>Demand for VPN services soared after Russia restricted access to some Western social media after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022.</p><p>A 2017 Russian law obliged providers of VPN technology to cooperate with the Russian authorities and to restrict access to content banned by Russia or be banned themselves.</p>.Four killed in building collapse in China's Wenzhou city.<p>Many VPN services remain widely in use throughout Russia and there has been a public debate among lawmakers about how much further to go in blocking VPN services which still allow access to banned information but also a host of other information.</p><p><em>RIA</em> quoted a reply from the digital ministry to an address by lawmaker Anton Tkachev who had raised concerns about what he said were plans to essentially block all VPNs, a step he said would increase pressure on Russians by cutting them off from using some simple household appliances.</p><p>"On the basis of a decision by the expert commission... the filtration of certain VPN services and VPN protocols can be carried out on the mobile communication network for foreign traffic which is identified as a threat," RIA quoted the ministry as saying.</p><p>RIA said that the ministry said that circumvention of restrictions on certain information was considered a threat. </p>