Mobile internet access has been disabled in Moscow in recent days after similar outages in dozens of regions
Russia is stepping up its tests of systems designed to keep millions of people from accessing information online in times of political unrest, shutting off mobile internet access in the capital in recent days.
People in Moscow, a city of 13 million, have found themselves unable to pay online bills or message co-workers in recent days. Commuters stepping out of the city’s subway stations can’t order a cab to the office. Unable to access online maps, many are asking strangers for directions for the first time in years. Those who normally work from home are filling cafes as they seek a stable Wi-Fi connection.
In recent months, dozens of Russian regions have gone offline suddenly. The Kremlin has defended the shut-offs as necessary to protect Russians from attacks by Ukrainian drones, which can use local cellphone towers for navigation.