Russian President Vladimir Putin has introduced amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses that provide for an administrative fine for intentionally searching for materials declared extremist on the internet. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
Sources from the Kremlin provided this information. From now on, individuals who search for publications on the list of extremist materials maintained by the Ministry of Justice, including through VPN services, will be fined between 3,000 and 5,000 rubles.
That is, if a user intentionally accesses such materials through special tools, they cannot escape the fine. Additionally, a fine has been established for promoting VPN services.
Individuals will be fined between 50,000 and 80,000 rubles, officials between 80,000 and 150,000 rubles, and legal entities between 200,000 and 500,000 rubles. Currently, ordinary use of VPN services is not considered an offense, but if it is used to conceal illegal activities or evade responsibility, this will be regarded as an aggravating factor.
On July 17, this draft law was reviewed and adopted in the State Duma. In the voting, 306 deputies supported it, 67 opposed it, and 22 abstained.
The new law will further strengthen accountability for operating on the internet in Russia and indicates that strict measures will be taken against content prohibited or controlled by the state. These changes will come into effect on September 1, 2025.
