In Russia, internet users are finding numerous ways to circumvent the Kremlin's digital restrictions.

Faced with the Kremlin's tightening control over the internet, more and more Russians are adopting complex strategies to continue accessing foreign platforms and services. From using virtual private networks (VPNs) and multiple phones to switching between Russian and Western apps, internet users are trying to preserve their digital freedom.

In Moscow, an interior designer explains that she uses a VPN to communicate with her family abroad via WhatsApp, one of the apps most affected by restrictions imposed by Russian authorities. When she needs to access certain national services, such as the Russian Railways website, she disables her VPN, as these platforms often block anonymous connections.

Like many citizens, she also uses a second phone to access MAX, a Russian state-backed messaging app designed to promote domestic alternatives to foreign services.

Since the beginning of the year, Russian authorities have significantly tightened their control over the digital space. Restrictions targeting foreign applications, particularly WhatsApp and Telegram, have increased as part of a policy aimed at reducing the country's dependence on Western technologies.

The government presents this control campaign as a national security measure. However, it is generating growing discontent among the population, particularly in large cities where foreign applications are widely used for work, personal communication, and business activities.

According to Reuters, disruptions caused by certain measures have sometimes affected the banking, transportation, and online retail sectors. Influential bloggers, business leaders, and even some figures usually removed from politics have expressed their frustration with these difficulties.

With parliamentary elections scheduled for September approaching, this issue is becoming increasingly sensitive. Despite the authorities' efforts to promote domestic platforms, many Russians continue to seek ways to circumvent restrictions in order to maintain access to international digital services.

This situation illustrates the emergence of a form of "digital iron curtain", where the battle for control of information and communications is now being fought as much on the Internet as in the political and geopolitical spheres.