Russia Bans Starlink Imports as Internet Controls Tighten Nationwide

The restriction applies to all radio-electronic devices capable of transmitting or receiving signals from foreign satellites, including dual-use systems. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Starlink satellite antennas are seen at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA), the international trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances, on August 31, 2023 during a preview at the fair grounds in Berlin. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Russia has banned the import of foreign satellite communication equipment, including Starlink terminals, in a move that underscores the Kremlin’s intensifying grip over internet access. The restriction applies to radio-electronic devices capable of transmitting or receiving signals from foreign satellites, including dual-use systems, unless approved by the State Commission for Radio Frequencies, according to a government decree published by the cabinet’s press service on Thursday, April 30. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The decision comes as Moscow ramps up efforts to control the flow of information online. Since May 2025, authorities have repeatedly shut down mobile internet across the country, citing the need to counter Ukrainian drone attacks. Research group Top10VPN estimates that outages in 2025 affected nearly the entire population, with cumulative downtime exceeding 37,000 hours. On April 26, reports emerged that mobile operators themselves had begun directly restricting users’ access to the global internet. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Russian officials have studied censorship models in China and Iran  including Beijing’s “Great Firewall” and Tehran’s use of internet blackouts during protests – as part of efforts to develop similar capabilities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has warned Russians to brace for prolonged disruptions, while analysts at RKS Global say the country could shift to a tightly controlled “whitelist” internet system as early as 2028, allowing access only to pre-approved websites. Other Topics of Interest Russia Said to Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With the US US military chief says Washington’s efforts in the Middle East could become difficult as concerns rise amid the strengthening of relations between Russia and Iran. Speaking in Strasbourg on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused the Kremlin of increasingly isolating Russians online to mask the country’s deteriorating economic situation under sanctions linked to the war in Ukraine. “With inflation increasing and interest rates skyrocketing, the consequences of Russia’s war of choice are also being paid for out of Russian people’s pockets,” von der Leyen told EU lawmakers. “So much so that the Kremlin responds... by restricting the internet and free communication.” She added that Russians now “feel that they live behind an Iron Curtain again – this time a digital Iron Curtain,” warning that history shows such systems ultimately collapse. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.