Skip to main content

We review VPNs independently, but we may earn commissions if you buy a VPN via our links.

The Best Free & Paid VPNs for Russia

Best VPN for Russia
Callum Tennent's profile image
Callum Tennent

Callum Tennent oversees how we test and review VPN services. He's a member of the IAPP, and his VPN advice has featured in Forbes and the Internet Society.

Fact-checked by Simon MiglianoAdditional Testing by Alyx Morley

  2. Best VPN
  3. Russia

If you live in or are traveling to Russia, you must choose a safe VPN with a proven track record for effectively bypassing internet censorship.

The country’s online censorship regime has accelerated in recent years, and it now blocks many international news websites, social media platforms, and civil society websites.

If you’re overseas and want to get a Russian IP address, it’s equally important to use a trustworthy VPN service that won’t share your browsing activity with the Russian government.

We’ve tested 65 VPN services and identified three that aren’t yet blocked and still work reliably in Russia.

What Is the Best Russia VPN in 2024?

Our tests confirm that the best free and premium VPNs for Russia are:

  1. Astrill: Best VPN for Russia
  2. PrivateVPN: Best Cheap VPN for Russia
  3. Windscribe Free: Best Free VPN for Russia

The best VPN for Russia in 2024 is Astrill VPN. Astrill has a 100% success rate for bypassing aggressive internet blocks in Russia, and its performance around the world continues to impress us. Although it’s expensive, Astrill VPN will work in Russia 100% of the time.

If you want to get a Russian IP address, Astrill VPN has physical servers in Moscow. Other VPNs like CyberGhost and Proton VPN also have multiple servers in Russia, but they aren’t able to bypass online censorship as effectively as Astrill can.

EXPERT ADVICE: Russia is aggressively blocking thousands of websites. PrivateVPN is currently the cheapest VPN to bypass website blocks in Russia. Try PrivateVPN risk-free for 30 days.

Comparison of the Best VPNs for Russia

Use the table below to compare the best VPNs for Russia based on their ability to bypass web censorship, obfuscation technology, logging policy, and more.

Why Trust Us?

We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our ratings are based on our own testing results and are unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs.

Analysis of the Best Russia VPNs

  1. 1. Astrill VPN: The Best VPN for Russia

    A reliable anti-censorship VPN with obfuscation and servers in both Russia and Eastern Europe.

    Ranked #1 out of 65 VPNs for Russia
    Astrill mobile screenshotsVisit Astrill

    • Proprietary StealthVPN protocol
    • Physical VPN servers in Russia
    • Nearby servers in Eastern Europe
    • Kill switch & no IP, DNS, WebRTC leaks
    • Privacy-friendly jurisdiction

    • Expensive compared to rivals
    • Mobile apps lack StealthVPN & kill switch
    • No transparency reports, warrant canary, or audit
    • Clunky and unappealing apps

    Overall Rating for Russia: 9.5/10

    This overall rating is calculated based on the following category ratings. To learn more, read our Russia VPN testing methodology.

    • 9.9/10
    • 9.8/10
    • 8.3/10
    • 7.8/10
    • 9.2/10

    Astrill bypasses internet censorship effectively using its proprietary Stealth VPN protocol, which adds an extra layer of obfuscation over the already ultra-secure OpenVPN protocol.

    The VPN service operates more than two servers in Russia and more in nearby countries like Ukraine, Finland, and Latvia. This makes it a great choice for getting a Russian IP address, as well as bypassing Russian internet restrictions.

    It offers both AES-256 and ChaCha20 encryption and has no IP or DNS leaks. It’s also based in Liechtenstein, a privacy-friendly country, though not a privacy-haven.

    Astrill does have drawbacks, though. Though it is exceptional for anti-censorship on desktop devices, our testing found its mobile apps to be lacking key features like StealthVPN, a search function, and a kill switch.

    Astrill VPN's app for iOS

    Russia Server LocationsMoscow
    Countries with Servers56
    Logging PolicySome User Logs
    Download SpeediDownload SpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection92Mbps
    Data LeaksNo
    JurisdictionLiechtenstein
    Cheapest Price$12.50/mo over two years See all plans

    Extremely Effective Anti-Censorship VPN

    Astrill has earned itself a reputation for its ability to beat the most sophisticated online censorship. Even in China, the VPN has never failed to bypass a firewall in our tests, meaning you can unblock any website at any time with StealthVPN enabled.

    Popular websites that are blocked in Russia like Instagram, ChatGPT, and Facebook are easily accessible with Astrill. The VPN service also provides a mirror download link, which means it’s possible to download within Russia’s borders.

    Screenshot of Astrill VPN's Stealth VPN settings.

    Astrill lets you configure settings with StealthVPN.

    It’s not the most popular VPN, but this comes with its benefits – it’s yet to be targeted by the Russian government. This allows the service to operate physical VPN servers within Russia, minimizing any potential speed loss.

    Ideally, we would like to see Astrill adopt diskless servers, which automatically wipe any data saved whenever the server is rebooted. Physical servers provide a more stable VPN connection, but can be at risk of server seizures when based in countries with privacy-unfriendly governments.

    However, we’re pleased to see the VPN is packed with advanced security features, VPN servers in nearby countries, and lots of configuration options. This includes ‘Smart Mode’, which works automatically to use your VPN IP address on international websites but keep your real IP for local sites.

    Screenshot of Astrill's server list.

    Astrill offers multiple VPN servers in Russia, Finland, and Ukraine.

    Excellent Security, but Unappealing Apps

    Astrill is full of options to customize your encryption and security settings, too. It offers four different tunneling protocols, port forwarding, a kill switch, and effective leak protection.

    All your VPN traffic is also routed through Astrill’s own DNS servers, which means there is no possibility your traffic will be routed through less-secure third-party servers.

    Alongside its price, the biggest drawback of Astrill is its visually unappealing apps on all platforms. Its old-fashioned and clunky interface is sure to put off anyone at first – from VPN beginners to experts.

    Mobile users in Russia should not use this option, either. Astrill’s Android and iOS apps lack some essential features, including a kill switch and the Stealth VPN protocol.

    Visit Astrill

    or read our full Astrill VPN Review.


  2. 2. PrivateVPN: Best Cheap VPN for Russia

    An affordable VPN with effective obfuscation for Russia — even on mobile apps.

    Image of PrivateVPN's app on mobileVisit PrivateVPN

    • Stealth VPN protocol works on mobile
    • Servers in Ukraine, Finland & Latvia
    • Costs only $2.00 on a 3-year plan
    • Unblocks 10 Netflix regions
    • Strong AES-256 encryption & no IP leaks

    • No Russia servers
    • Small network of 200 servers
    • Lacks diskless servers, WireGuard protocol & browser extensions
    • 24/7 live chat support not always available
    • No longer offers free trial

    Overall Rating for Russia: 9.2/10

    This overall rating is calculated based on the following category ratings. To learn more, read our Russia VPN testing methodology.

    • 9.4/10
    • 9.1/10
    • 9.3/10
    • 9.1/10
    • 8.8/10

    PrivateVPN works in Russia, it’s fast, and it’s incredible value for money. On long-term subscription plans, it can cost as little as $2.00 per month. It’s also a great choice for mobile, as unlike Astrill or ExpressVPN, its StealthVPN mode works on mobile devices.

    However, the VPN service does have some flaws. PrivateVPN had to shut down its Russia servers in 2023 due to international sanctions on Russian companies. This means you can’t use PrivateVPN to get a Russian IP address.

    PrivateVPN's app for iOS

    Russia Server LocationsNone
    Countries with Servers62
    Logging PolicyNo Logs
    Download SpeediDownload SpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection95Mbps
    Data LeaksNo
    JurisdictionSweden (14 Eyes Member)
    Cheapest Price$2.00/mo over 3 years See all plans

    Servers in Ukraine, Latvia, Finland & More

    PrivateVPN doesn’t have a large server network overall, but it does offer VPN servers in Russia’s neighboring countries: Ukraine, Finland, Latvia, and Romania. This will ensure you get fast and reliable speeds from within Russia.

    Screenshot of PrivateVPN.

    We connected to PrivateVPN’s Ukraine server with Stealth VPN enabled.

    PrivateVPN’s obfuscation feature is called Stealth VPN. You toggle it on under Advanced View > Stealth VPN. It works in Russia, but our testing found it to be less consistent than Astrill VPN.

    However, PrivateVPN’s Stealth VPN protocol works on iOS and Android. This is a huge advantage over Astrill, and is a reason to opt for PrivateVPN if you’re mainly a mobile user.

    Safe, Secure & Better for Streaming

    PrivateVPN’s apps are very secure. It has a VPN kill switch, AES-256 encryption, and protection against IP and DNS leaks. This is coupled with a strict no-logs policy, which ensures none of your online activity is recorded.

    PrivateVPN is also one of the best VPNs for streaming. Its dedicated streaming servers unblock every service we tested it with, including 10 Netflix libraries.

    Though it is an excellent choice for Russia in terms of security, privacy, and simplicity, our testing did find issues with PrivateVPN’s limited customer support, stripped-back iOS app, and missing WireGuard protocol.

    PrivateVPN stopped offering its seven-day free trial in July 2022, which used to be one of its biggest selling points. However, you can still take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try out the service for free.

    Visit PrivateVPN

    or read our full PrivateVPN Review.


  3. 3. Windscribe: Best Free VPN for Russia

    A fast and reliable free VPN with obfuscation and a 10GB monthly data limit.

    The Windscribe VPN app running on two mobiles; one displaying connection options, the other connected to a New York server.Visit Windscribe

    • Free servers in Romania, Norway & Germany
    • Works reliably to access websites and apps
    • Diskless server network & open-source desktop apps
    • Easy-to-use and intuitive apps
    • Privacy-friendly logging policy

    • No free Russia servers
    • Stealth protocol not available on iOS
    • Based in privacy-unfriendly Canada
    • Slower speeds on long-distance connections
    • No live chat

    Overall Rating for Russia: 7.5/10

    This overall rating is calculated based on the following category ratings. To learn more, read our Russia VPN testing methodology.

    • 9.6/10
    • 9.4/10
    • 8.6/10
    • 8.8/10
    • 9.2/10

    Windscribe Free is the best free VPN for Russia. It has a generous server network for a free VPN, with access to servers in 11 countries. Our experts recommend using a Romania, Norway, or Germany server if you’re based in Russia.

    Windscribe Free’s obfuscation protocols — Stealth and WStunnel — work consistently in Russia, but they aren’t as reliable as Astrill VPN. On the other hand, you pay a much higher price tag for Astrill VPN, whereas you can use Windscribe to bypass censorship for free.

    If you want a Russian IP address, you’ll have to pay for a Winsdscribe subscription, which gives you access to three servers in Moscow and St Petersburg.

    Windscribe VPN's free app for iOS

    Russia Server LocationsNone
    Countries with Servers11
    Logging PolicyNo Identifying Data
    Download SpeediDownload SpeedBased on 100Mbps local test connection90Mbps
    Data LeaksNo
    JurisdictionCanada (Five Eyes Member)
    Cheapest PriceFree

    Consistently Unblocks Websites in Russia

    Windscribe Free can easily access restricted websites and apps in Russia. It has the most effective obfuscation of any free VPN, beating out Proton VPN, PrivadoVPN, and AtlasVPN by far. It’s one of a few VPNs that actually lets you access obfuscation tools with its free version.

    Windscribe doesn’t log any personally identifiable information and has a diskless server network, almost eliminating the possibility of data being extracted from its VPN servers.

    Windscribe's Connection settings, showing Connection Mode in Manual, and protocol options, including Stealth and WStunnel.

    Windscribe Free gives you access to both obfuscation protocols on Windows and macOS.

    Previously, Windscribe’s Stealth protocol wasn’t available on iOS. However, we were extremely pleased to see it added Stealth to the iOS app in December 2022. This shows the VPN’s ongoing commitment to providing VPN services to countries with censorship.

    Beginner-Friendly & Secure VPN Apps

    Windscribe is designed for VPN beginners. Its apps are simple and appealing, at no cost of advanced features. You get access to OpenVPN, WireGuard, and an effective ‘Windscribe Firewall’ that prevents your real IP address from leaking.

    However, it does have a 10GB monthly data cap that restricts how much you can browse with it connected. This data cap is generous for a free VPN, but will quickly get used up by high-bandwidth activities like streaming or torrenting.

    Visit Windscribe

    or read our full Windscribe VPN Review.


How to Use a VPN in Russia

It’s not always possible to download and install a VPN before entering Russia. That’s why we recommend downloading a VPN before you travel to a region with online censorship.

Fortunately, the three VPNs we recommend in this list also provide alternative websites to download and install their software within Russia.

Simply contact your chosen VPN service’s customer support to get the latest URL that works.

Here’s how to use a VPN in Russia:

  1. Visit the VPN service’s website and sign up. If you’re already in Russia, contact your VPN service to find a mirror download URL.
  2. Install the latest version of the VPN app onto your device.
  3. Launch the VPN app and sign in. Some VPNs provide a username and password, or you’ll create your own.
  4. Turn on obfuscation protocols or features. Astrill offers an effective proprietary StealthVPN protocol. PrivateVPN also has its own StealthVPN mode, which uses Shadowsocks proxy to bypass firewalls.
  5. Turn on the VPN’s kill switch. This prevents your real IP address from leaking if your internet connection drops suddenly.
  6. Connect to a VPN server in a nearby country like Ukraine, Finland, or Poland to bypass online censorship.

How to Get a Russian IP Address With a VPN

Getting a Russian IP address is useful if you need to access content that’s only available within the country’s borders. The safest VPNs with servers in Russia are Astrill VPN, CyberGhost, and Proton VPN.

PrivateVPN and Windscribe Free are great if you’re connecting from within Russia, but they won’t help you get a Russian IP address.

Some major VPN services, like ExpressVPN, have removed their physical servers from Russia to protect their users from surveillance. As a result, it’s become harder to find VPN servers that reliably provide a Russian IP address.

Watch the video below to find out how to get a Russia IP address using a VPN:

We used Windscribe VPN to get a Moscow IP address.

Here’s how to get a Russian IP address using a VPN:

  1. Sign up for a VPN service with servers in Russia. We recommend using Astrill VPN to get a Russian IP address.
  2. Install the latest version of the VPN app onto your device. Navigate to the VPN provider’s website and download the app onto your computer.
  3. Launch the VPN app and sign in. Some VPNs provide username and password, or you’ll create your own.
  4. Connect to a VPN server in Russia. Find the server list in your VPN app and select a Russia server.
  5. Verify your new IP address. Open your preferred internet browser and use an IP checker tool to confirm your IP address and geolocation has changed to Russia.

Which VPNs Have Servers Near Russia?

If you’re looking to achieve the fastest VPN speeds in Russia, you’ll need to connect to a server as close as possible to your physical location.

This reduces the distance your internet traffic has to travel, minimizing any potential internet speed loss. If your VPN service doesn’t have servers in Russia, it’s best to choose a server in a nearby country like Ukraine, Latvia, Finland, or Kazakhstan.

Use the table below to find out which VPNs for Russia have servers near Russia:

Which VPNs Have Servers In Russia?

Here’s a detailed list of VPNs with servers in Russia in 2024:

  • Astrill VPN
  • Bitdefender VPN
  • CyberGhost
  • FastestVPN
  • Hotspot Shield
  • Ivacy VPN
  • Kaspersky VPN
  • Perfect Privacy
  • Proton VPN
  • PureVPN
  • TorGuard
  • Touch VPN
  • VPN Proxy Master
  • VPNArea
  • VyprVPN
  • Windscribe VPN
  • ZoogVPN

A majority of top-rated VPNs do not have Russian servers at all, including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Private Internet Access. However, you can still use these VPNs to bypass internet censorship by connecting to servers in neighboring countries.

A number of VPNs began shutting down their Russia servers in March 2022.

Surfshark released a statement that it would shut down Russian servers because it refuses to financially support Russian data centers. In addition, PrivateVPN shut down its Russia servers in March 2023 due to international sanctions on Russia.

Screenshot of Surfshark's statement on its website addressing the removal of its Russia servers

Surfshark stopped operating Russia servers in 2022.

This happened just as Russian demand for VPNs skyrocketed due to online censorship of popular social media sites and news services.

The blocks on VPNs have made it more difficult for users to get a Russian IP address. However, it also means that these VPNs are unwilling to cooperate with the Russian government.

Here’s a list of VPNs that removed Russia servers recently:

  • PrivateVPN
  • SkyVPN
  • Surfshark
  • X-VPN

Are VPNs Banned in Russia?

By encrypting your traffic and changing your IP address, VPN software can access blocked web content that’s deemed incompatible with the views of the Russian government.

As a result, many VPNs are blocked in Russia as part of a larger attempt to maintain Russian state control over the internet.

Using a VPN in Russia is not illegal in itself, but using an ‘unauthorized’ VPN is against the law.

The punishment for using an unauthorized VPN in Russia is 300,000 RUB (~$3,400) for the user and 700,000 RUB (~$8,000) for the VPN service.

To become an ‘authorized’ VPN service, the company must cooperate with the Russian state and agree to block all the websites in the government’s extensive website blacklist. They must also agree to share user data with Russian security services.

This makes using an ‘authorized’ VPN in Russia useless from a privacy and anti-censorship perspective.

We’re pleased to see many VPNs have ignored these regulations and continue to unblock websites censored by the Russian state. However, there is always a risk that a VPN with physical Russia servers might be forced to cooperate with data requests.

If you use our recommended VPNs with strong encryption and effective VPN obfuscation features, it’s very unlikely your traffic will be identified or intercepted.

Russian Internet Censorship and Regulation

Over the past decade, the Russian government has made several attempts to increase its control over the domestic internet. Here are some of the most important events affecting the country’s online freedoms:

1. Blocking VPNs

Following the conflict in Ukraine, over 4,000 websites have been blocked in Russia, including Facebook, X, Instagram, BBC News, and Quora.

As a result of widespread blocks, Russian citizens have turned to VPNs to access banned websites. In retaliation to the rising number of VPN users, the Russian government began restricting access to VPNs like Proton VPN and NordVPN in June 2022.

A total of 167 VPNs have been blocked or restricted in Russia for not cooperating with Russian law, though the full list of VPNs being targeted is unknown.

Screenshot of line chart on Proton VPN's website showing a spike in signups from Russia in March 2022.

Proton VPN recorded a 9,000% rise in Russian signups on the 24 March 2022.

Starting in April 2023, there have also been emerging reports of popular VPN protocols OpenVPN and WireGuard traffic being blocked by Russian ISPs.

As Russian internet censorship develops, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to bypass these restrictions. This is why we recommend using Astrill VPN or PrivateVPN, which have highly sophisticated obfuscation tools that work in Russia to bypass online firewalls.

2. Blocking Telegram

In April 2018, the Russian Communications Watchdog blocked over 4 million IP addresses in an attempt to ban the private messaging app Telegram.

Telegram remained online, while hundreds of unrelated websites and apps were unintentionally shut down.

Graph illustrating the number of IP addresses suddenly blocked by the Russia government

The sudden rise in blocked IP addresses in Russia after the attempted block on Telegram.

The sites and services involved included MasterCard, Twitch, Viber, and popular e-commerce and online banking sites. It took over a month for these apps to be put back online.

3. The Yarovaya Law

In 2016, Russia’s parliament approved the Yarovaya Law.

This law requires all Russian telecom companies and Internet Service Providers (ISP) to store detailed user communication records for six months, and all connection metadata for three years.

This allows the government to access records of everything you do online at any time.

Promoting ‘extremism’ online is punishable by up to five years in prison. Under the Yarovaya Law, ‘extremism’ can include modest protests, including ‘humiliation of national dignity.’

4. Russia’s Domestic Internet

More recently, Russia has initiated the final steps of its censorship strategy — to create its own domestic alternative to the global internet.

In November 2019, the aptly named ‘Sovereign Internet’ law came into force. This law allows the Russian state to switch off Russia’s access to the worldwide web in the event of an “emergency.”

The government also launched its own version of Wikipedia, called Ruwiki, in July 2023. It was created by copying all of Wikipedia’s articles and removing or editing articles with narratives contrary to the Russian government’s official line.

For example, it’s completely missing an article on the Russo-Ukrainian War, and has a heavily cut version of Evgeny Prigozhin’s profile.

How We Test VPNs for Russia

We’ve tested 65 VPN services to determine which VPNs are best for Russia. Every VPN we test is subject to the same strict testing process to ensure fair and unbiased ranking.

For Russia specifically, we test every VPN for:

  • Bypassing censorship in Russia
  • Effective obfuscation technology
  • VPN servers in nearby countries
  • AES-256 encryption and OpenVPN
  • Safe no-logs policy & no IP or DNS leaks
  • Fast download & upload speeds

Here is a table showing how the top-rated Russia VPNs performed in our testing categories:

VPNs with a data cap receive a reduction to their overall rating.

Here’s a more detailed list of the five testing categories, along with how much of the overall rating for Russia they make up:

1. Bypassing Russian Censorship: 50%

Minimum Requirement: Some VPN servers work in Russia.
We Recommend: All VPN servers reliably work in Russia.

The most important attribute of a top Russian VPN is its ability to bypass censorship.

We use remote servers to test every VPN on its ability to access restricted websites and services.

The most effective VPNs will work to bypass website blocks on all servers, without limitations. However, we also reward the services that can work to bypass censorship almost all the time.

2. Obfuscation Technology: 20%

Minimum Requirement: Obfuscation protocols or servers.
We Recommend: Highly effective obfuscation tools.

Obfuscation is a type of technology designed to disguise or camouflage your VPN traffic.

Typical encryption stops third parties from being able to see your activity. Obfuscation prevents them from knowing it is VPN traffic at all.

This type of technology is vital if you’re looking to bypass online censorship safely and effectively.

For this reason, we test every VPN for the ability to select an obfuscation protocol from the settings menu. VPNs with multiple obfuscation options, AES-256 encryption, and IP leak protection are rewarded.

3. Privacy & Logging Policy: 10%

Minimum Requirement: A clear privacy policy with minimal logs.
We Recommend: A strict zero-logs privacy policy.

Russia has banned unauthorized VPNs, which means it’s important there are no logs of your internet connections in the country.

We analyze every VPN privacy policy in detail to assess its privacy policy, jurisdiction, and ownership. We do not recommend any service that collects identifying logs or has ties to the Russian government.

4. Speed: 10%

Minimum Requirement: Average download speeds over 60Mbps.
We Recommend: Average download speeds over 80Mbps.

We regularly test for local speeds from the US, and international download speeds while connected to Australia, Singapore, the UK, and more.

After recording speeds connected to a VPN, we compare them to speeds without using a VPN to figure out the percentage drop.

The best VPNs only have minimal speed loss when connected to servers in the same continent. It’s likely that the further away the server you connect to, the slower your internet speeds will be.

5. Nearby Servers to Russia: 10%

Minimum Requirement: VPN servers in some countries near Russia.
We Recommend: A wide range of VPN servers in Russia and nearby countries.

Finally, we test every VPN to assess the number of server locations it offers, both within Russia and its neighboring countries.

The closer these servers are to your physical location, the better your VPN speeds will be.

VPN services with multiple server locations in a wide range of neighboring countries are rewarded, while those that cater only to Western countries are penalized.

Data Cap Penalty: Up to 50% Reduction

Almost all free VPNs come with a data cap. Like with most limitations on free VPNs, this is imposed to encourage users to upgrade to a premium subscription.

If you use up your data cap, the rest of your internet activity will be outside of the VPN tunnel. Consequently, your ISP can monitor the webpages you visit and you won’t be able to access blocked websites in Russia.

We apply a penalty to the VPN’s final overall rating for Russia based on its data cap:

  • Unlimited bandwidth: No deduction to the overall rating
  • 10GB per month: -20% to the overall rating
  • 500MB per day: -25% to the overall rating
  • 5GB per month: -30% to the overall rating
  • 1GB per month: -35% to the overall rating
  • 200MB per day: -40% to the overall rating
  • 500MB per month: -50% to the overall rating

FAQ

Which VPN Has the Most Servers in Russia?

CyberGhost is the VPN with the most servers in Russia, with 60 virtual servers in Moscow. ProtonVPN has 16 physical VPN servers in St. Petersburg.

What Is the Best VPN Protocol to Use in Russia?

Generally speaking, OpenVPN and WireGuard are the best for balancing speed and security. They’re open-source VPN protocols that have been verified for safety time and time again. However, these protocols do not obfuscate your internet traffic by default.

If you’re based in Russia or traveling to Russia and wish to circumvent website blocks, we recommend using a VPN with strong Stealth protocols, like Astrill VPN or Windscribe Free.

These stealth protocols are often built using OpenVPN as their foundation, and will prevent packet analyzers from identifying your VPN traffic.

How Can I Stay Anonymous Online in Russia?

If you’re an internet user in Russia, the country’s laws on internet freedom can be frightening.

If you’re looking to stay safe and anonymous online, here are a few best practices you should follow:

  1. Use a pseudonym. No level of encryption or digital hygiene can hide who you are if you post under your real name. Pick a fake one that can’t be linked back to you.
  2. Use a VPN. A VPN will keep your browsing activity and location private by encrypting your internet traffic, routing it through a secure tunnel, and masking your true IP address.
  3. Use the Tor Browser. Tor works by encrypting your online communications and relaying your traffic through randomized nodes. Tor is slow, but if you’re unable to access a VPN, then it is an alternative choice for anonymous browsing in Russia.
  4. Use common sense. Don’t geotag your content, discuss events from your personal life, or keep a local record of your written content. Stay away from social media websites, and be careful about what you post.

What's the Best VPN for Netflix in Russia?

In March 2022, Netflix suspended its service in Russia. However, this suspension is easily bypassed with a VPN like PrivateVPN, which gives you access to 10 Netflix libraries, including the US, UK, and Japan Netflix libraries — even if you’re accessing them from Russia.