Russia is blocking Signal to increase control over its citizens' communications - British intelligence
Kyiv • UNN
On August 9, Roskomnadzor blocked the Signal messenger in Russia. According to British intelligence, this is an attempt to restrict communications and strengthen state control over access to information.
The Russian authorities continue to try to limit the possibilities of communication in messengers in order to strengthen state control over access to media and information in Russia. This is stated in a new report by the British Ministry of Defense based on intelligence, UNN reports.
Details
According to a report by the British Ministry of Defense, on August 9, Russian media reported that Roskomnadzor had blocked the encrypted messaging app Signal in the country. The official explanation was "to prevent the messenger from being used for extremist or terrorist purposes.
Some commentators have suggested that the ban is aimed at preventing the spread of information about the Ukrainian invasion of the Kursk region, but this is unlikely, the British Ministry of Defense has said.
Signal is used by many independent Russian journalists and opposition activists to circumvent the Russian government's widespread electronic monitoring system, primarily the FSB's System of Operational Search Activities.
In this context, the restriction of access to Signal is likely intended to expand the Russian authorities' ability to monitor and restrict the communications of private citizens hostile to the regime
It is noted that Signal's blocking comes at a time when the Russian government is banning independent media organizations, disrupting YouTube and the WhatsApp messaging service. These measures, as the British Ministry of Defense pointed out, are aimed at strengthening state control over access to media and information in Russia.
