Mobile internet has been shut down in Moscow and St. Petersburg ahead of May 9. In particular, residents of the largest Russian cities are reporting a lack of connectivity, unavailability of even censored websites, disruptions in online services, including banking, and the inability to send SMS.
This was reported on Telegram by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council.
It is noted that the Russian authorities explain these restrictions by “security measures and preparations for festive events”, in particular, the parade on Red Square with the participation of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
As noted by the Russian service of the BBC and Deutsche Welle, at around 08:00 the number of complaints about mobile internet began to grow rapidly. Outages were recorded in the networks of MTS, Beeline, Yota and T2, with the latter operator also confirming problems in the Moscow region.
In particular, Sberbank, which is on the “white list”, has warned of possible disruptions. The bank has sent customers a message about “possible difficulties with the operation of mobile Internet and SMS” in some regions in the coming days.
MTS reported that restrictions on mobile Internet and sending SMS are possible both in Moscow and in the region, warning that this may affect cashless payments, ATMs and geo-services. In turn, Megafon advised users to switch to Wi-Fi instead of mobile Internet.
In addition, problems with ordering a taxi are being recorded in the Russian capital. In particular, the Yandex application warns about incorrect operation of the service: due to technical failures, not all drivers are able to get on the line or accept orders.
The publication reminds that the day before, mobile operators sent users a message about restrictions on mobile Internet in Moscow and St. Petersburg from May 5 to 9. This is allegedly due to preparations for the parade on Red Square, which this year will be held without the participation of military equipment for the first time in 19 years. In addition, the Kremlin will be completely closed to visitors on Victory Day.
Recall, the day before, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia fears the appearance of Ukrainian drones during the parade in Moscow on May 9. He also noted that this year's event will be held without military equipment for the first time in a long time.