Russian telecom operators have started sending out SMS messages informing users that they will be disconnected from mobile Internet for a day upon their return from abroad, local media reported on 10 November.
Such messages were sent out, in particular, by MegaFon and Beeline. In order to remove the restriction, users need to be verified, otherwise services should be automatically restored in 24 hours.
Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development said the restrictions were necessary to “increase protection against drones” as SIM cards can be inside drones and used to navigate them. The mechanism began operating in test mode on 10 November.
According to the agency, restrictions will also be imposed if a SIM card has been inactive for 72 hours.
In autumn, Russia started to impose fines for searching for “extremist information” on the Internet and advertising VPN services. This law also applies to the Ukrainian territories seized by the Russian Federation, particularly in the south.