On Tuesday, the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, approved an amendment to the Communications Act, which it allows the FSB’s domestic secret service to order telecommunications operators to block both mobile networks and fixed internet connections. TASR informs about it with reference to the DPA agency.
Deputies approved the amendment in the second and third readings at the extraordinary meeting. According to media reports, the wording according to which such decisions are taken to protect citizens and the state from security threats was omitted from the adopted text.
It was replaced by the passage that the country’s leadership will determine the reasons. President Vladimir For example, it would allow Putin to order a nationwide shutdown of the Internet without having to justify it.
The TASS agency reported that mobile operators will thus be released from responsibility if, for example, customers complain about service outages. Mobile networks have been turned off, for example, near airports in the event of a threat of an attack by Ukrainian drones. The amended law will enter into force ten days after it is signed by President Putin.
