In Russian regions experiencing mobile internet limitations, essential services on the «whitelist»—including banks, payment systems, and taxi apps—are frequently disrupted. Users report difficulties with payments and ordering transportation. The Ministry of Digital Development has announced its intention to broaden the range of available resources.
Anton Gorelkin, First Deputy Head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, stated that the «whitelist» of internet services should be uniform across all Russian mobile operators. He noted that this aligns with the Ministry of Digital Development`s (Mintsifry) position, and the list of services accessible during mobile internet outages will be expanded. However, in practice, especially in regions with the most challenging connectivity, these supposedly essential resources often function inconsistently.
Currently, the «whitelist» comprises approximately two dozen critical resources intended to work universally under any restrictions. These include banks, social networks, marketplaces, online maps, mobile operator websites, and the «Gosuslugi» (State Services) portal. Nevertheless, real-world experience demonstrates that during periods of restricted connectivity, even these vital services are not always available.
Business FM employee
«We discovered the absence of mobile internet in the Vladimir region upon our arrival at the train station. Locals informed us that outages had begun in August. Despite the internet being down, I managed to order a taxi, and the driver confirmed that taxi services had recently started working, as reported in the published `whitelist,` which also covered maps and banks. Maps indeed worked perfectly, but banking apps (`Sber,` `Tinkoff`) were non-functional, preventing me from making transfers. During an excursion, our guide requested cash, leading many to search for Wi-Fi in nearby cafes to pay. A significant plus, unlike some other regions (like Tula, for instance), was that mobile payment terminals were operational.»
For several months, Russian regions have been contending with mobile internet and geolocation restrictions. These measures, reportedly implemented to counter Ukrainian drones, significantly affect numerous everyday operations—from the inability to summon a taxi to difficulties withdrawing cash from ATMs and making card payments in stores. The most severe restrictions have been observed in Vladimir, Yoshkar-Ola, Tula, Kazan, and Nizhny Novgorod.
Ekaterina
Tula resident
«The situation was critical when the restrictions first started, especially since the decision was abrupt and unexpected. Many people faced basic everyday problems: unable to call a taxi or pick up marketplace orders. Many shops could only accept cash, leading to lost profits for businesses. However, everyone began to adapt: marketplace apps introduced automatic QR code loading even without internet, and stores started installing wired internet. In Tula, for example, the city administration provides Wi-Fi at bus stops. I`m checking now, and unfortunately, not all apps from the designated `whitelist` are working yet. Yandex services operate reasonably well, but banking apps, regrettably, still often fail to load. VK, however, is accessible.»
GPS problems, however, are formally not directly linked to mobile internet restrictions or «whitelists.» Although some online maps are included in the list of mandatory accessible resources, they become useless without properly functioning geolocation.
Denis Kuskov
General Director of TelecomDaily analytical agency
«GPS signal problems and internet blocking are related but distinct issues. GPS is disabled near strategic installations like the Kremlin, oil refineries in places such as Yaroslavl, or ports like Ust-Luga in the Leningrad region. The situation with internet blocking is somewhat different. GPS might not work, for example, in the city center, while the internet remains available. GPS problems are difficult to resolve, which creates challenges for many services, including couriers and taxis. I recommend downloading offline maps for the region you are in and using them for route planning or other services in an offline format.»
In some services, such as taxi applications, GPS functionality is already integrated. Users can still utilize them, but they will need to manually enter their starting point address. Downloading offline maps is also an option, but tracking movements will then rely exclusively on addresses and known landmarks.
