Russian lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would expand administrative penalties for nearly every aspect of VPN usage, from advertising VPN tools to simply using them to access banned content.
This follows a December 2024 directive ordering ISPs to hand over data that could identify VPN users, further tightening the government’s control over digital anonymity in the country.
The newly proposed amendments, tucked into bill No. 755710-8 during its second reading in the State Duma, introduce fines for VPN use in connection with accessing extremist materials, promoting VPN services, operating VPN gateways without registration, and using VPNs to share SIM-linked accounts. While VPN technology itself isn’t outlawed, the regulatory noose around it is tightening rapidly.
The proposals come from a bloc of lawmakers led by United Russia members Vasily Piskaryov and Alexander Khinshtein. Although the original bill focused on freight forwarding logistics, its latest version significantly expands state control over digital infrastructure and user behavior.
The amendments introduce new articles in the Code of Administrative Offenses (KoAP) that target multiple layers of VPN-related activity:
Using VPNs to access banned content: Individuals face fines between 3,000 and 5,000 rubles (~$34–$57) for intentionally searching for or accessing extremist material through tools like VPNs or proxies. This is a first in Russian legal history, where simply viewing information, rather than distributing it, becomes punishable.
Advertising or promoting VPN services: Fines under Article 14.3-18 escalate depending on the offender:
- Individuals: 50,000 to 80,000 rubles (~$570–$910)
- Officials: 80,000 to 100,000 rubles (~$910–$1,140)
- Legal entities: 200,000 to 500,000 rubles (~$2,280–$5,700)
Operating unauthorized VPN infrastructure: Running VPN gateways, proxies, or other tunneling systems without meeting regulatory standards will now draw penalties:
- Individuals: 50,000 to 80,000 rubles (~$570–$910)
- Officials: up to 150,000 rubles (~$1,710)
- Legal entities: up to 500,000 rubles (~$5,700)
Transfer of SIM-linked credentials via VPN: Sharing accounts tied to subscriber numbers, often done over encrypted networks, will also be penalized with fines of up to 200,000 rubles (~$2,280) for organizations.
While the law stops short of outright banning VPNs, it places unprecedented liability on their users and operators. VPN services may face de facto bans if advertising becomes punishable, infrastructure is regulated out of operation, and users are criminalized for using them. The cumulative effect of Russia’s recent moves suggests a coordinated campaign to eliminate VPN usage in all but name.
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