Where and how the internet is being shut off In the Rostov region, mobile internet is now being turned off not only at night, as before, but also during the daytime. This is one of the regions regularly targeted by drone attacks. In the Kursk region, local deputy Vladimir Fedorov complained about daily network shutdowns and demanded that federal agencies intervene. He suggested that operators reduce tariffs or even make communication free during the period of "emergency measures." In the Tyumen region, disruptions lasted for a week, from June 12 to 18. Cashless payments in stores and taxis did not work. Drivers first took clients to ATMs, and only then — to the required address. After June 18, communication in the region was restored. At the time of publication, mobile internet also returned in Tatarstan. At the same time, home internet and public Wi-Fi in all these regions continued to work stably. Mobile internet shutdowns have become a problem for everyone. In Lipetsk, people couldn't order taxis. One resident complained to a local outlet that she called a car to the Central Market. The app showed that the driver was coming "from far away" — and that she'd be charged for canceling. It turned out that drivers were waiting for orders on the outskirts, where the signal is better, and only then going to the center, risking a canceled order and lost payment. "On the way, we try to catch the internet: we connect different SIMs, hook onto some Wi-Fi, but if there's nothing — you can lose money," a taxi driver told the publication. "I call the client and say I’ll be there in two minutes, he can come out. And then he cancels the order and leaves. And I didn’t see that it was canceled because I had no internet. So I drove him for free." Retail trade also experienced disruptions: small grocery stores use mobile internet because a wired connection for legal entities is significantly more expensive. Without access to the network, stores couldn't process QR-code payments and lost revenue. The extra costs of installing wired internet will ultimately be passed on to customers. In some cases, communication disappears for several hours; in others — shutdowns last for days. Authorities most often repeat one phrase: “measures aimed at ensuring security in the context of the Special Military Operation.” Why the internet is shut down and how effective it is Russia’s Ministry of Defense reported that on the night of June 18 to 19, their air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 81 drones over Russian regions. These attacks are the main argument used by regional authorities to justify communication shutdowns. There is a technical hypothesis: some drones may have a modem with a SIM card installed. Such a drone can connect to the nearest base station and transmit coordinates or receive updated data to correct its course. It is precisely on this logic that the decision to shut down mobile internet is based. However, according to the executive director of the “Society for the Protection of the Internet,” Mikhail Klimaryov, there is no real benefit from such shutdowns. “This does not affect security in any way. Military drones have long been adapted to operate without mobile communication, even under complete signal jamming. All this [internet shutdown] is pure imitation. Governors are looking for something to report to Putin: ‘Look, we shut down the internet, I don't know what the military are doing. What does that have to do with me?’ It’s just an excuse,” Klimaryov said in a conversation with “7x7.” The expert adds: Ukrainian drones may use the mobile network, but it’s not a necessary condition for their operation. If the connection is unavailable, the drone continues flying via GPS or inertial navigation. In other countries, for example, in Israel, such shutdowns are not used at all. | 
