Russia is testing its disconnection from the global internet

Correspondent in Moscow

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In the context of the war in Ukraine, and therefore of increased sanctions but also of the multiplication of cyberattacks, Moscow is preparing for its possible disconnection from the global Internet, whether it is a defensive initiative decided by the authorities Russians or a measure imposed from outside.

An isolation of the Russian internet from the rest of the world was considered by the Kremlin last March, after the launch of the “special military operation” in Ukraine, according to the

newspaper .

It also reveals that several cybersecurity exercises have been carried out this year with the participation of banks, telecom operators and the largest internet companies to test the ability of the Russian network to operate autonomously.

Redirection of traffic to Asia

Exercises justified by the geopolitical situation, analyzes the

.

Quoted by the newspaper, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernychenko claims that the number of cyberattacks has increased by 80% this year

underlines Dmitri Chernychenko.

Faced with these threats, an Internet disconnection plan was considered in the spring by the Russian operator Rostelecom, indicates the

which specifies, quoting an expert, that

" internet

has been overshadowed in recent months by restrictions on access to certain sites (Twitter and Instagram, in particular).

A digital isolation of Russia, insofar as it is feasible, would also risk accentuating state control over personal data and individual freedoms, some experts and human rights defenders fear.

Bypassed Constraints

From outside Russia, several Internet traffic access providers (such as LINX) have already disconnected their services from Rostelecom or MegaFon.

Conversely,

writes the

.

For the major state actors, and in particular the intelligence services, the possibility of obtaining information remains preferable to the absence of data...

As early as last March, the Russian authorities took measures to protect state sites: all websites, in particular those of public services, were ordered to switch to Russian domain names, to abandon hosting abroad and strengthen their password policy.

But six months later, these constraints are proving to be largely circumvented, in particular by regional state sites which continue to use codes downloaded from abroad, notes the

.

With as explanation, continues the newspaper, the fact in particular that the fines envisaged remain minimal, around 5000 rubles (83 euros approximately at the current rate).

Read also“I am a sponge who receives information”: how to tell the war in Ukraine well?

Furthermore, the disconnection of the Russian segment of the Internet from the World Wide Web would have consequences for the connectivity of the entire global network, explain experts, such as Ivan Begtin, who stresses, for example, that

Even if closed models of the Internet exist, in Iran or China, this specialist judges a “

” (closure) of Russia unlikely, leaning rather for