The internet has been shut down again in Chechnya and Dagestan. The Russian authorities justify the latest restrictions on communications by saying they are fighting terrorism, but it looks much simpler: the Kremlin is afraid of its own citizens. Shutting down telecommunications in troubled regions has become a common practice for the Russian state. Now it seems to happen every time the Kremlin feels that the situation is getting out of control.
For several years now, the authorities in Chechnya, Dagestan, and Ingushetia have been periodically shutting down mobile communications and the Internet, especially during protests or escalation of conflicts. For example, during demonstrations in Dagestan against mobilization in September 2022 or during riots in Makhachkala in 2023. Now history is repeating itself: the local population is noticing interruptions in network access, especially at night.
This time, the official reason for the blocking was the Russian special services’ claim that “terrorist groups are coordinated through Telegram and other messengers.” However, everyone understands that this is just an excuse. In reality, the authorities are simply trying to prevent any uncontrolled dissemination of information and limit communication between those who might resist.
The North Caucasus has always been a problematic region for Moscow. Chechnya twice rebelled against Russian occupation in the 1990s and early 2000s. Dagestan has never been completely loyal to the federal centre, and Ingushetia regularly protests against the arbitrariness of Russian security forces. The Russian authorities understand perfectly well that any serious social explosion in the Caucasus can become a real crisis for the empire. Therefore, control methods here are tougher than in other regions.
Today, Moscow faces new challenges. The war against Ukraine is draining the state’s resources, and the economic situation in the region is becoming increasingly difficult. Many men from Dagestan and Chechnya are fighting in the Russian army, often against their will. At the same time, local communities are not receiving adequate support from the state. This creates new prerequisites for protests, which the Kremlin is trying to quell in their infancy.
The Russian government has long used technological restrictions as a tool of control. Internet shutdowns have become the norm during times of heightened political crises. This is evidenced by the cases in Belarus in 2020, Kazakhstan in 2022, and now in Chechnya and Dagestan. All of these situations have one goal in common: to prevent people from sharing information, coordinating, and protesting.
Such a policy not only demonstrates the Kremlin’s fear of its citizens but also confirms that democracy no longer exists in Russia, even formally. Now, instead of political dialogue, the authorities simply shut people out of the digital space.
Blocking communications in the Caucasus has several important consequences. First, it is a blow to local businesses that depend on the Internet. Second, it is an even greater alienation of the regions from the federal centre. People see that Moscow perceives them as potential enemies, and this only strengthens anti-Russian sentiment.
In addition, such actions make many wonder: what will happen next? If the authorities are already turning off the internet at their own discretion, what will stop them from tightening the screws further? Will the next step be the introduction of a curfew or mass arrests of “disloyal” citizens?
The Kremlin has once again demonstrated that it fears its own people more than any external enemy. The North Caucasus remains a weak spot for the Russian empire, and each new restriction of freedom only brings closer the day when these people will finally realize that their path is a fight for their own independence. In the meantime, the authorities simply press the “Turn off the Internet” button, thinking that this will solve all their problems. But, as history shows, such methods never work in the long run.
Daniil Kozachok
