GreatFire’s App Censorship Project Reveals Massive Russian Crackdown and Google’s Response
Today, GreatFire’s App Censorship Project publishes its latest investigation into the availability of VPN apps in Google’s Russian Play Store and assesses Google’s compliance with recent Russian government censorship demands. This investigation follows an unprecedented wave of takedown requests from Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal censorship body, targeting VPN (Virtual Private Network) apps and other censorship circumvention tools since mid-March 2025.
On March 21, Russian business news outlet Rusbase (Русбейс, RB.ru) reported a series of censorship demands directed at Google by Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal agency responsible for controlling mass media and communications. Journalist Maria Kolomychenko discovered through Lumen Database—a platform by the Berkman Klein Center that collects online content removal requests—that Roskomnadzor sent Google 47 requests starting March 12, each targeting the removal of a specific VPN app from Russia’s Google Play Store.
Following this revelation, the App Censorship Project immediately initiated tests on VPN apps’ availability in Russia and expanded research into Russian government app takedown requests recorded in Lumen.
“The evidence from Lumen Database is unequivocal: the Russian government is waging an all- out war on VPNs and all other tools enabling Russian citizens to bypass censorship and surveillance,” said Benjamin Ismail, GreatFire’s head of Campaign and Advocacy and App Censorship Project Director.
GreatFire uncovered that between March 12 and April 1, 2025, Roskomnadzor issued an extraordinary 214 App Takedown Requests targeting 212 VPN and similar apps, representing over 90% of all takedown requests sent to Google during this period. Additional requests targeted content related to the Ukraine war, LGBTQ+ topics, poetry, and songs.
Furthermore, GreatFire discovered two alarming Google notices referencing massive URL takedown requests from Roskomnadzor. The first notice, dated March 10, requested removal of over 40,608 URLs from Google Web Search under Russia’s “VPN law”. Another notice on March 26 targeted more than 43,099 URLs.
“These requests clearly demonstrate that the Russian authorities have abandoned all pretense of restraint in digital repression,” Ismail added. “The systematic targeting of hundreds of VPNs and tens of thousands of URLs constitutes a de facto blanket ban on VPNs, regardless of official statements claiming VPN usage remains legal.”
Is Google Resisting Roskomnadzor’s Pressure?
In this unprecedented crackdown, Google’s response holds significant implications for censorship effectiveness in Russia. Big Tech companies operating major app platforms must balance compliance with local laws against obligations to international human rights standards, as outlined by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
“Google’s actions will critically shape the effectiveness of Russian government censorship,” said Ismail.
To evaluate Google’s compliance, GreatFire analyzed 399 VPN apps, including the 212 identified by Roskomnadzor.
Key findings include:
• Out of 399 VPN apps tested, 346 (87%) remain available in Russia’s Play Store, while 53 (13%) were unavailable.
• Of the 212 VPN apps specifically targeted by Roskomnadzor, only 6 (3%) were unavailable in Russia.
• Two of these 6 apps have been unavailable since at least 2023, one since mid-2024, while the status of three remains uncertain due to limited historical data.
• Another 6 targeted VPN apps completely disappeared from the Play Store globally, with unclear timing or reasons for removal.
• 47 additional unavailable VPN apps were not explicitly targeted by recent requests. Among these, 20 apps have been unavailable since early 2024 or earlier.
“Our findings strongly indicate Google has largely resisted the Kremlin’s demands,” Ismail stated. “However, continued vigilance is necessary, especially regarding apps that have disappeared entirely. Google owes transparency to its users regarding these unexplained Removals.”
Mazay Banzaev, founder and chief developer of Amnezia VPN, commented on the precarious nature of VPN availability under these pressures:
“Yes, Amnezia VPN remains available on Google Play—as do many other VPNs—as long as Google does not comply with the Russian authorities’ censorship demands. But we’ve already had a bitter experience: in autumn 2024, Apple received a similar request and complied immediately. Our app was removed from Russia’s App Store within just three hours, leaving us no opportunity to protest or appeal. Today, our users in Russia can only download AmneziaVPN by changing their App Store region (though our secondary app, AmneziaWG, is still available in Russia). This clearly aligns with the Russian government’s goal—to complicate VPN usage and effectively prevent people from accessing the data and news the authorities want hidden from the public.”
Growing Censorship Requires Greater Oversight, Transparency, and Accountability
As Russia intensifies its censorship regime, global digital rights advocates must increase scrutiny of tech companies interacting with authoritarian states. Previous research by GreatFire revealed extensive compliance by Apple, with over 60 VPNs quietly removed from Russia’s App Store in 2024, far exceeding official figures.
“As authoritarian pressure mounts, the tech industry’s actions often contradict the principles of open access and digital freedoms,” Ismail emphasized. “We urgently need independent oversight, rigorous investigations, and stronger regulatory measures to ensure tech companies uphold human rights and transparency.”
Sarkis Darbinyan, cyber lawyer and expert with Roskomsvoboda and RKS Global, added:
“If platforms continue to comply without regard to international standards, it will undermine the work of independent media, human rights defenders, and developers of censorship circumvention tools—many of whom are already targeted in Russia. That’s why platforms must now be radically transparent in their dealings with the Russian censor and adopt distinct global policies for handling requests from digital authoritarian regimes.”
GreatFire calls for:
• Independent and ongoing investigations into corporate complicity with authoritarian censorship.
• Legislative measures ensuring corporate accountability beyond profit motives, mandating transparent self-reporting in line with international human rights standards.
• Regulations ensuring U.S.-based tech companies are accountable globally, not only Domestically.
GreatFire remains committed to advocating for freedom of information and transparency, urging both corporate and governmental accountability in protecting users’ fundamental digital freedoms.
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The App Censorship Project (AppCensorship.org) is a GreatFire initiative dedicated to exposing and combating app censorship worldwide. Through our platforms AppleCensorship.com and GoogleCensorship.org, we monitor the availability of apps across different countries and regions, identifying instances where apps are censored or removed from app stores. Our mission is to promote transparency, hold tech companies accountable, and advocate for the unrestricted flow of information. Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or visit our websites for more information.
