What's happening in Russia?

Russia blocked access to the gaming platform Roblox on December 3, 2025, followed by Snapchat and Apple's FaceTime on December 4. Roskomnadzor, the state communications watchdog, accused the platforms of distributing "extremist content," "LGBT propaganda," and being used for "terrorist activities."

The blocks cut off millions of monthly Roblox users, mostly children and teenagers, sparking a wave of complaints to the Kremlin. Similar restrictions could happen again. Anywhere, anytime.

How the disruption was measured

To understand how people in Russia responded to the December platform blocks, VPN usage data and network monitoring were tracked from multiple sources.

App telemetry

Connection data from the VPN app in Russia was monitored during the blocking period. This data showed how quickly users turned to workaround tools once Roblox, Snapchat, and FaceTime became inaccessible. All data was anonymous and grouped by country only—no personal details or browsing history were collected.

• Data was grouped, not tied to individual users
• Only country-level connection counts were used
• No personal information or browsing activity was collected

Third-party monitoring tools

Network monitoring confirmed that Roskomnadzor implemented blocks starting December 3 for Roblox. The Roblox Developer Forum confirmed that "Website, App, Studio, DevForum are not working (that is, EVERYTHING)" for Russian users.

• App store ranking data showed VPN apps surging in Russia's Top Free Apps charts
• Traffic patterns to international servers showed clear spikes correlating with each block announcement
• Website analytics showed a 24,150% week-over-week increase in sessions to our /vpn-for/roblox landing page

By combining these approaches, it became possible to measure how quickly Russian users adapted to the blocks and which tools they used to maintain connectivity.

Russia VPN connections surge 270% as Roblox, Snapchat, and FaceTime are blocked

As Russian authorities blocked access to Roblox on December 3, followed by the confirmation of the Snapchat block and new FaceTime restrictions on December 4, Russian users turned to VPNs in unprecedented numbers. Daily VPN connections surged to 270% above baseline levels by December 10, with sustained elevated usage throughout the blocking period.

Key observations from the data:

December 4-7‍

VPN usage showed a consistent wave pattern, fluctuating between 115-170% of baseline. The wave pattern suggests daily usage cycles, with peaks during evening hours when children typically play Roblox after school.

December 8-9‍

Usage briefly dipped to around 100-110% before climbing again, as users discovered that simple DNS changes weren't enough and VPNs were required to bypass the IP-level blocks.

December 10‍

VPN connections spiked dramatically to 270% of baseline—the highest point in the monitoring period. This coincided with widespread media coverage of the Kremlin being flooded with complaints from children. Ekaterina Mizulina, head of the Safe Internet League, stated that "every second child" who contacted her office expressed a desire to leave Russia over the platform bans.

December 11‍

Usage remained elevated at approximately 190-200% of baseline, indicating that VPN adoption has become a sustained behavior rather than a temporary spike.

The chain of events

The December 2025 blocks are part of Russia's escalating campaign to control internet access since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Phase 1: Pre-2025 restrictions

• 2022: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X blocked after invasion of Ukraine
• 2024: YouTube throttling begins; WhatsApp and Telegram voice/video calls restricted; Signal banned
• October 2024: Roblox's connected service Guilded blocked for Russian users

Phase 2: December 2025 crackdown

• October 10, 2025: Roskomnadzor blocks Snapchat (only publicly confirmed on December 4)
• December 3, 2025: Roskomnadzor blocks Roblox, citing "extremist content," "LGBT propaganda," and content that "can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children"
• December 4, 2025: Roskomnadzor publicly confirms Snapchat block and announces FaceTime voice/video call restrictions. The agency claims both are used "to organize and execute terrorist operations"
• December 9, 2025: Kremlin confirms receiving flood of children's complaints; Russian officials announce plans to develop domestic Roblox alternative

Why these platforms?

Roblox

• Millions of monthly users in Russia, mostly children
• Ranked as the most downloaded mobile game in Russia for 2023
• User-generated content makes moderation difficult for authorities
• Platform had 4.2+ million developers globally, with a significant Russian developer community

Snapchat

• Disappearing messages limit government surveillance capability
• Company stopped selling ads to Russian and Belarusian media after Ukraine invasion

FaceTime

• End-to-end encryption prevents FSB monitoring
• Apple refused to grant Russian security services access to traffic
• Users migrated to FaceTime after WhatsApp/Telegram calls were blocked

The reality check

When governments block gaming and communication platforms, you're suddenly:

• Cut off from friends: Children lose contact with gaming communities and online friendships
• Unable to create: Young developers lose access to platforms where they built games and earned income
• Isolated from global culture: Access to international content and communities disappears
• Pushed to less safe alternatives: Users migrate to unregulated platforms or unsafe workarounds
• Dependent on state-controlled alternatives: Russia is developing its own "MAX" messaging app and planning a domestic Roblox replacement

Your right to play, create, and communicate shouldn't disappear because of politics.

Methodology and sources

To analyze the Russia platform blocks, a mix of firsthand data and independent third-party sources was used:

• VPN app connection data (December 4-11, 2025) — anonymous, country-level usage patterns showing the 270% surge following Roblox, Snapchat, and FaceTime blocks
• Website analytics (Google Analytics 4) — showing 24,150% week-over-week increase in /vpn-for/roblox landing page sessions
• Reuters, BBC, The Guardian for timeline confirmation and government statements
• Roblox Developer Forum for firsthand user reports
• Reddit communities (r/worldnews, r/MapPorn) for user sentiment analysis
• Russian state media (TASS, Izvestia) for official government justifications

Privacy note: All app data was grouped at country level. No personally identifiable information (PII) was collected or analyzed.

Got Blocked? Help Track It

If you're in Russia (or another country facing platform blocks), you can help:

• Submit anonymous data: error screenshots, connection logs, timestamps
• Run a test via OONI Probe

Together, censorship can be mapped and fought.