• Copy link
• Facebook
• X
• Reddit
• Email

Share this article

0

Join the conversation

Follow us

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Newsletter

Get the Tom's Guide Newsletter

Here at Tom’s Guide our expert editors are committed to bringing you the best news, reviews and guides to help you stay informed and ahead of the curve!

Become a Member in Seconds

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors

---

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful

---

Want to add more newsletters?

Daily (Mon-Sun)

Tom's Guide Daily

Sign up to get the latest updates on all of your favorite content! From cutting-edge tech news and the hottest streaming buzz to unbeatable deals on the best products and in-depth reviews, we’ve got you covered.

Signup +

Weekly on Thursday

Tom's AI Guide

Be AI savvy with your weekly newsletter summing up all the biggest AI news you need to know. Plus, analysis from our AI editor and tips on how to use the latest AI tools!

Signup +

Weekly on Friday

Tom's iGuide

Unlock the vast world of Apple news straight to your inbox. With coverage on everything from exciting product launches to essential software updates, this is your go-to source for the latest updates on all the best Apple content.

Signup +

Weekly on Monday

Tom's Streaming Guide

Our weekly newsletter is expertly crafted to immerse you in the world of streaming. Stay updated on the latest releases and our top recommendations across your favorite streaming platforms.

Signup +

---

Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

Explore

---

An account already exists for this email address, please log in.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Russia's internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, has reportedly requested Google remove 47 VPNs from the Play Store.

Some of the best VPNs have already been affected by blockages in Russia, but none were included in this round of requests.

Reports suggest affected providers include Cloudfare's popular DNS resolver, 1.1.1.1, HideMyNetVPN, VPN4TV, and Secure VPN.

The regulator has said VPNs "provide access to banned content" and violate Russian internet laws.

A majority of the demands occurred between 15-21 March 2025, and during this time internet users across several Russian regions, including the Urals and Siberia, experienced widespread outages.

Apps including TikTok, Duolingo, and Twitch were unable to be accessed, and two of the best encrypted messaging apps, WhatsApp and Telegram, faced interruptions.

Roskomnadzor said the outages were due to "the use of foreign server infrastructure where failures are recorded." However many believe the disruption was the result of Russia's recent blocking of 1.5 million Cloudflare IP addresses.

Russia also disrupted the internet in several regions back in December 2024. Dagestan, Chechnya, and Ingushetia were all affected in a rumored test of the country's "sovereign internet structure."

Removal requests not new

This isn't the first time Russian authorities have demanded the removal of VPNs from app stores.

In 2024, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and IPVanish were targeted for failing to comply with Russia's content censorship requirements and Apple removed popular VPN apps from the Russian app store in July 2024.

In March 2024, the Russian government demanded access to VPN servers hosted in Russia. In response, providers, including NordVPN, removed all servers from Russia.

However, Proton VPN continues to host servers in the country and the best Russia VPNs are still effective in navigating Russian censorship – despite Russia having some of the world's strictest VPN laws.

Because many of the leading VPN providers are banned in Russia, if possible you should download and install the apps when outside of the country.

VyprVPN is our recommended VPN for Russia thanks to its effective Chameleon protocol. The protocol scrambles your internet traffic's metadata, making it hard for censors to detect and block.

Proton VPN's Stealth protocol, NordVPN's NordWhisper, Obscura VPN, NymVPN and others all offer forms of traffic obfuscation, making them effective at bypassing censorship. Your VPN traffic is mixed in with regular internet traffic and is protected against deep-packet inspection (DPI), allowing you to access a free and open internet, free from censorship.