Russia will introduce a fee for access to the global internet after the elections

Following the State Duma elections, Russian authorities have revisited the idea of introducing a fee for international data traffic for mobile internet users. The government is currently discussing the possibility of charging an additional fee for international data traffic on the 5G network, which recently went live in Russia. Additional charges may be imposed once the 50-gigabyte limit is exceeded, and the new fee could be introduced as early as October 1. At the same time, the source did not specify the amount of the fee but noted that the main goal of the initiative is to combat VPN services that are not controlled by the Kremlin and whose traffic operators classify as international.

A source at one of the “Big Four” operators—MTS, Beeline, Megafon, and T2—confirmed to the BBC that the issue is being discussed again. At the same time, he noted that the exact date of the fee’s introduction and its amount have not yet been determined. In early spring, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, according to sources cited by the BBC and Forbes, asked mobile operators to set a 15-gigabyte limit on foreign traffic by May 1, 2026, and to charge 150 rubles for each gigabyte exceeding that limit. Later, RBC’s sources in the telecommunications market reported that the authorities had decided to postpone this “innovation” until after the State Duma elections, which took place on September 18–20.

Experts noted that in order to introduce charges for international data traffic, technical issues regarding how to track usage for each of the country’s 180 million users must first be resolved. Such changes to network configurations could take several months, and in some cases up to half a year, telecom analyst Alexei Boiko emphasized in late April.

Russians’ interest in VPNs has grown amid the blocking of the two most popular messaging apps—WhatsApp and Telegram. In late March, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev stated that his ministry had been tasked with reducing the use of such services in the country. Telecom operators were ordered not to expand data transmission channels to Europe, while large companies were instructed to block access to their resources for users connecting via VPN.

According to Forbes, President Vladimir Putin demanded restrictions on VPNs in Russia in a “confidential directive.” Sources at The Bell claimed that the FSB’s Second Directorate, which is responsible for safeguarding the constitutional order and combating terrorism, is behind the measures to isolate Runet. According to their information, its director, Alexei Sedov, received “carte blanche” from Putin after promising to “restore order” on the internet.

This is reported by Russian propaganda media.

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