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Ukraine war's impact felt in Russia as drone warnings and internet outages rise
🇸🇪 Sweden /Technology

Ukraine war's impact felt in Russia as drone warnings and internet outages rise

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Internet disruptions and drone warnings are increasingly affecting daily life in Russia, impacting communication and business.
  • Russian authorities cite drone threats as the reason for internet outages, but residents report a lack of logic and consistency in the disruptions.
  • While the war's impact was initially minimal, growing internet issues and communication difficulties are causing significant irritation among Russians.

Olga, speaking from St. Petersburg via Telegram, describes a new reality in Russia where drone warnings and internet outages have become commonplace. "My friend in Moscow heard a drone for the first time in her life," she recounts. "First it buzzes, then there's a bang. Then you know the air defense has taken it down." These disruptions are not confined to remote areas; they are clearly audible at her dacha outside Moscow.

My friend in Moscow heard a drone for the first time in her life. First it buzzes, then there's a bang. Then you know the air defense has taken it down.

— OlgaDescribing the new reality of drone warnings in Russia.

Navigating these challenges requires constant vigilance and technological workarounds. Olga frequently changes her VPN to bypass government blocks on services like WhatsApp and Telegram. However, the internet itself is often shut down, with authorities claiming it's to protect citizens from drones. "Sometimes we have internet, sometimes not. People often ask each other on the street: Do you have internet today?" Olga notes the lack of predictability, observing, "There is no logic. And their systems seem to have big gaps." She shares an anecdote about her mother being able to use WhatsApp without a VPN, a situation that shouldn't be possible.

Sometimes we have internet, sometimes not. People often ask each other on the street: Do you have internet today?

— OlgaIllustrating the unpredictability of internet access.

For Maksim, a former colleague in Moscow, the internet's unreliability is a "gigantic problem." He explains that business owners can no longer sell services or goods online. Travel outside Moscow has become an analog affair, requiring cash, printed maps, and written-down phone numbers, as internet access is uncertain. "The internet is terrible out here. They warn about missiles every evening," he writes from his dacha.

There is no logic. And their systems seem to have big gaps.

— OlgaCommenting on the inconsistent internet service.

Despite these daily inconveniences and growing irritation, Maksim observes that the disruptions haven't spurred widespread anti-war resistance. "People in Russia are used to authorities making things up," he says, noting that Moscow remains filled with festivals and free events, creating a sense of parallel life. Yet, the underlying sentiment is one of annoyance, a stark contrast to the initial phase of the war when life largely continued as normal.

The internet is terrible out here. They warn about missiles every evening.

— MaksimReporting from his dacha outside Moscow.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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