Russia Intensifies Internet Censorship Enforcement with Fines for Traffic Bypass

Russian authorities are increasing pressure on internet service providers (ISPs) to fully comply with censorship directives, levying fines against those found to be allowing traffic to bypass the country’s internet filtering system, known as TSPU (Technical Means of Countering Threats). Recent court rulings in Moscow and St. Petersburg demonstrate a heightened enforcement of regulations designed to control access to information online.

Growing Fines for Non-Compliance

Magistrate courts in Moscow and St. Petersburg have issued at least ten rulings against telecoms operators in recent months for failing to route internet traffic through TSPU equipment. This equipment is mandated for all internet providers in Russia and is used to block access to websites deemed illegal or undesirable by the government. The fines typically amount to 250,000 roubles (approximately $3,100 USD), though some penalties have been doubled. Mediazona first reported on the trend.

How Enforcement Works

The enforcement process involves monitoring by the GRCHC, a state enterprise overseeing Russia’s radio frequency spectrum, or regional branches of Roskomnadzor, the country’s censorship agency. These entities check whether ISPs are routing traffic through TSPU filters. If a blocked website remains accessible, and no corresponding request is logged by the TSPU, a formal report is filed, leading to potential fines. The automated compliance system called Revizor is also used in the process.

YouTube and EUobserver Targeted

In the majority of cases examined, the checks specifically targeted access to YouTube. In two instances, inspectors tested access to EUobserver, a Brussels-based news outlet already blocked within Russia. Seven of the nine cases were heard at judicial district No. 21 in Moscow, located near Roskomnadzor’s Central Federal District directorate, with six of those cases presided over by Judge Yaroslav Dolgopolov.

Recent Cases and Court Decisions

On February 2, 2026, Judge Dolgopolov issued five rulings against Trivon Networks, YuL-Kom Media, iHome, AVK-Wellcom, and Grand, all related to access to YouTube detected in December 2025. Each company received a fine of 250,000 roubles, reduced due to their financial circumstances. The rulings were nearly identical in their wording.

MSK-IX, Russia’s largest internet exchange point, was also fined on February 25th under the same article, though the specific blocked website tested in that case was not disclosed.

Defense Strategies and Outcomes

Most companies either did not contest the charges or pleaded guilty. Avantel was the only provider to actively defend itself, arguing that access to EUobserver was enabled by an upstream operator, TransTeleCom, and a Cloudflare extension that circumvented the TSPU system. However, Magistrate Maria Putintseva rejected these arguments and imposed a 500,000 rouble fine – the only case where the penalty wasn’t reduced.

iHome is the only provider fined twice, once in March 2025 for access to EUobserver and again in February 2026 for access to YouTube. In the second instance, representatives refused to admit guilt, attributing the issue to a network node in Rostov-on-Don.

Broader Context of Russian Internet Censorship

These recent enforcement actions are part of a broader trend of increasing internet censorship in Russia, which began in 2008 with the establishment of a centralized internet blacklist maintained by Roskomnadzor. Internet censorship in Russia is enforced through various laws and mechanisms, reflecting the government’s efforts to control the flow of information and maintain its grip on the digital landscape. Amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences in July 2022 further strengthened these controls. Human Rights Watch has documented the increasing isolation of the Russian internet.