In 2022, Russia dramatically ascended the Global VPN Adoption Index, making the top-10 list with almost a quarter of its population downloading VPN apps to help evade censorship. This escalation was noteworthy given that Russia, prior to the recent online purges, was ranked 58th in VPN usage. The leap to the top tier was mainly propelled by the stringent internet censorship the country has been imposing, with Roskomnadzor – Russia’s censorship agency – taking stringent action against numerous VPN providers.
Since 2017, Roskomnadzor has had the legislative backing to block VPNs, a power it has exercised repeatedly, resulting in the ban, disruption, or intimidation of 42 VPN providers. The agency's modus operandi has included compulsory incorporation of VPN providers into the Federal State Information System (FSIS), a registry of proscribed websites that VPNs must adhere to.
In 2019, TorGuard, along with other popular VPN providers, was asked to join the FSIS, a demand we unanimously rejected. Instead, TorGuard responded by relocating all Russian VPN servers outside the country, running them as geo-located virtual servers to maintain the integrity of our commitment to privacy and security.
Over the past few weeks, TorGuard VPN users have reported increasingly frequent interruptions with standard VPN protocols like OpenVPN and Wireguard on various Russian ISPs. We interpret this as an indication that the Russian government is preparing for an all-out VPN blockade against leading VPN providers.
What can Russians do to bypass VPN blocks?
The good news is, TorGuard VPN brings to the table a vast experience and a variety of tools and protocols equipped to circumvent VPN blockades in Russia. At the moment, TorGuard users leveraging OpenVPN TCP on port 4443 (via ObsTCP) with SSL tunnel enabled are successfully bypassing the block with the TorGuard VPN app. OpenConnect is another robust protocol we provide that excels at piercing firewalls.
Moreover, as Russia's Roskomnadzor intensifies VPN blockades, we recommend users consider switching to TorGuard's new premium proxy V2ray service. This advanced proxy service operates undetected by DPI censors by disguising your proxy traffic behind major CDN networks. The unique feature of this protocol is its immunity to being blocked, evidenced by its flawless operation even behind China's Great Firewall.
Looking at the recent developments, it's clear that the authorities' attempts to stifle VPN usage have had the opposite effect, fueling the surge in VPN adoption in the country. While this growing demand for privacy tools is undoubtedly a testament to the resilience of the people, it also illustrates the fundamental importance of open, uncensored access to the internet in the digital age.
Despite the increasing complexity of the blocks, TorGuard remains dedicated to enabling access to a free and open internet. We believe that as long as there's a will, there will always be a way to preserve this fundamental digital right. Stay safe, stay connected, with TorGuard.
