VPN usage in Russia grows: 55% of under-45s use circumvention tools

Despite Russian authorities' efforts to restrict VPN services, 55% of Russians aged 18–45 use VPNs to bypass internet censorship. In March 2026, over nine million VPN applications were downloaded in Russia. Carnegie Politika analyst Maria Kolomychenko examines who will prevail in this standoff.

The struggle between Russian authorities and internet users over VPN services is intensifying. According to Russian Field data from April 2026, 55% of Russian residents aged 18–45 use VPNs — a figure that grows with each newly blocked website.

Millions download VPNs

In March 2026 alone, over nine million VPN applications were downloaded in Russia. This shows that circumvention tools have become a mass phenomenon, not merely a tool for tech enthusiasts. The more resources authorities devote to blocking, the greater users' motivation to find alternatives.

Government steps and their limits

Russian authorities have been implementing increasingly strict restrictions on VPN services over recent months, attempting to obstruct them technically or ban them legally. However, these measures so far appear to be failing to achieve their goal — user numbers are growing, not shrinking. For the Carnegie Politika project, The Bell correspondent Maria Kolomychenko writes that the standoff between the state and ordinary users is far from over.

Who wins this battle?

Kolomychenko's analysis suggests that while authorities have tools to establish more effective control, the VPN user base has become too large to simply suppress. The technical standoff is becoming increasingly complex for both sides — for the state seeking to control the internet, and for users seeking free access to information.