Main points
- Moscow plans to turn off mobile internet and restrict mobile communications on May 5, 7, and 9 due to the parade rehearsal and celebration of “Victory Day.”
- Russian operator Beeline is sending notifications to subscribers about possible restrictions, advising them to use Wi-Fi and VoLTE for calls.
Moscow residents will be restricted from accessing the Internet and SMS / Depositphotos
Moscow plans to shut down mobile internet and limit mobile communications. Operators are already warning subscribers, but details of the upcoming shutdowns remain unclear.
Internet and communications in the Russian capital will operate with restrictions on May 5, 7, and 9. This is reported by a number of Russian media outlets, in particular, the Kommersant newspaper, citing sources in the telecommunications market.
What is behind the communication restrictions?
The communication restrictions coincide with key events in Moscow – the rehearsal of the May 7 parade and the celebration of Russia's “Victory Day”, which will take place on May 9. At the same time, there is no information yet about specific areas that may remain without communication or the duration of the restrictions.
This practice is not new to Moscow . In previous years, users have already encountered mobile phone outages before May 9. In addition, in early March of this year, access to the mobile Internet was restricted in the city for more than a week and a half.
Back then, users had so-called “white lists” of sites – access was only granted to a limited list of resources.
Russian operator Beeline has confirmed that it is sending notifications to its subscribers about possible communication restrictions from May 5 to 9, Vedomosti reports.
In particular, this applies not only to mobile Internet, but also to sending SMS messages. The company advises users to switch to Wi-Fi for network access, as well as to use calls via VoLTE technology, if possible.
How have restrictions been applied before?
The practice of disabling mobile Internet and restricting communication in Russia began to spread actively in 2025 – and has since become regular.
Over time, restrictions have become not only more frequent, but also more technologically sophisticated. One of the key tools has been the system of so-called “white lists.” In this mode, the mobile Internet formally works, but user access is limited only to a predetermined list of sites and services – usually state resources, banks, large online platforms and controlled social networks.
The full-scale testing of this system took place in the spring of 2026 in Moscow. Since the beginning of March, city residents have been complaining en masse about outages: the Internet either completely disappeared in certain areas, or worked only partially – only sites from the “white list” were opened, explained the publication “Durov's Code”. The restrictions lasted for more than a week and covered both the city center and the metro, where problems with Wi-Fi and access to popular services were also recorded.
According to media reports, these measures were explained by “security considerations” , in particular the risks of attacks by Ukrainian drones. At the same time, users effectively lost access to familiar tools – navigation, messengers, payment services and delivery services.
The current plans for restrictions appear to be a continuation of established practice. While previously such measures were episodic, now they are gradually turning into a systematic tool for controlling communications.