Is this where we’re headed too? Speculation that recent outages in Russia were tests for unplugging from internet & global community (similar to what’s already happening in Iran, also China). Population response: “Local media reported that retailers recorded a quick surge in demand for pagers, portable radios, stationary phones, media players and road maps, as the shutdowns gripped the capital.”

“Mohiuddin Ahmed, associate professor in cybersecurity at Adelaide University … said internet blackouts could become a "successful" strategy for governments to control domestic political unrest.
"Internet blackouts are put in place so that everyday people can't know what's going on in the rest of the world." “

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/moscow-internet-shutdown-russia-test-censorship/69rjp4wai

#Russia #MoscowInternetOutages #InternetBlackout #InternetOutages
#controlDomesticUnrest #RussianPolitics

Does a 'Great Firewall' loom? Why Russians are buying up walkie-talkies and road maps

Some believe Russia is testing a system that could cut it off from the global internet.

SBS News

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Russia's Sochi under unprecedented 24-hour mass Ukrainian drone attack -- Russia strikes Zaporizhzhia with guided bombs, injuring 13, including children -- Russia blames UK for Storm Shadow strike on military plant, threatens 'new level' escalation, destruction -- Russian drone hits civilian bus in Kherson, injuring 10 ... and more

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/03/thursday-march-12-2026/