Residents of dozens of Russian regions have faced interruptions in mobile communications and lack of internet access, which has caused a wave of discontent and questions for telecom operators. The problems recorded in regions such as the Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk regions, as well as in St. Petersburg, have affected customers of almost all major mobile operators. According to the Downdetector failure monitoring service, the disruptions in communications began in the first half of June 2025 and continue to cause inconvenience to millions of users. Sources in the telecommunications industry indicate that the reason for the outages is the targeted intervention of special services using new tactics to ensure security. Information on this matter is provided by Baza.

According to information received from employees of mobile communication companies, the shutdown of base stations began in test mode on May 6, 2025. This measure, initially tested in border regions, was recognized as effective in countering threats associated with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. After successful testing, the authorities decided to extend the practice to other parts of the country. As noted by insiders, shutdowns now occur not only in border and central regions, but also in remote regions such as Western Siberia and the Urals. At the same time, telecom operators often do not receive advance notice of the shutdown schedule, which complicates their interaction with subscribers.

One of the sources at the telecommunications company explained: “The decision to switch off base stations is made by law enforcement agencies. We have neither control over this process nor a clear understanding of when this will happen. We are told that this is done for security purposes, but the details are not disclosed.” According to the source, in some regions, local authorities inform residents in advance about possible interruptions, which reduces the level of discontent. However, in other regions, shutdowns occur suddenly, without any explanation, which leads to a flurry of complaints addressed to operators. “People think that these are our failures, but sometimes we ourselves only find out about the problem after it has started,” the source added.

The situation is particularly acute in St. Petersburg, where interruptions in mobile internet have been recorded in the Pulkovo Airport area and the venues of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which is taking place from June 18 to 21. According to media reports, the outages in the Northern capital are related to increased security measures against the backdrop of the forum, which is attracting the attention of the world community. Local residents and visitors to the city report that in some areas there is no mobile internet signal at all, which creates difficulties for work and everyday life. Photos of drivers trying to catch a signal near Pulkovo Airport have appeared on social networks, which has become a symbol of the current problems.