- Google was reportedly hit with 233 VPN takedown orders in Russia in March
- Requests to remove 500 URLs from Search were also issued in April
- ZoogVPN removed from Google Play but flagged as “malicious”
Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, issued takedown orders for 233 apps on Google Play in March 2026 alone, specifically targeting tools designed to circumvent internet restrictions.
The findings, first reported by Important Stories, serve as another example of how Russian censors are intensifying their crackdown on VPN use across the country.
TechRadar also identified entries in Lumen Database – an American non-profit that tracks global content removal requests – which details a request by Roskomnadzor in April to remove over 500 URLs from Google search results in Russia. The order cited 2017 Federal Law No. 276-FZ, which prohibits the use of VPN services to access state-blocked content.
However, it appears that Google is largely resisting these demands. Speaking to TechRadar last April, Benjamin Ismail, Campaign and Advocacy Director at GreatFire, said only six apps were removed despite more than 200 blocking orders. It’s unclear how many apps were removed as a result of the latest round of orders.
Google mostly resists takedown orders, but ZoogVPN is going away
Takedown orders targeting app store providers are nothing new. According to data from Important Stories, Roskomnadzor has requested that Google remove at least 1,379 VPN services and other circumvention tools since 2024.
The large technology giant was fined 22.8 million rubles last February, specifically for non-compliance with takedown orders and for allegedly promoting VPN services through ads on Google Play.
In comparison, Apple does not disclose all the details of the takedown requests it receives. However, the company was found to have removed at least 60 VPN apps in 2024 alone from its Russian App Store, including major providers such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Proton VPN.
Apple’s 2024 App Store Transparency Report also shows that 171 apps were removed from the Russian App Store during the year at the request of the government. Last week, Apple was also reported to have removed some custom VPN clients from the Russian App Store.
The popular service bypassing the blocking ZoogVPN is removed from the Play Market. Google considers его вредоносным Такие новыхаться от Google наличите установка Android. Google Play Зачистика автомобильный рекомендует устройства ZoogVPN мед спразование и отзывает все программы. Кроме того,… pic.twitter.com/FL43UurLWi7 April 2026
However, it’s worth noting that on Tuesday (April 7), a Russian civil society group, First Department, reported that a popular VPN app in the country, ZoogVPN, was removed from Google Play after being deemed “malicious.”
However, some apps are removed by Google. On Tuesday, Russian civil society group First Department reported that ZoogVPN – a popular VPN in Russia – had been removed from Google Play after being flagged as “malicious”.
Android users reportedly received system notifications from Google Play Protect urging them to uninstall the app and revoke its permissions. However, the developers at ZoogVPN claim that this could be a “false positive” rather than a legitimate security threat.
It remains unclear whether ZoogVPN’s removal is directly linked to the increase in Russian takedown orders or is an unrelated technical issue. TechRadar reached out to Google for clarification, but has not received a response at the time of publication.
An increased need for VPNs
In what digital rights experts have dubbed “Russia’s Great Internet Attack,” citizens are finding it increasingly difficult to access the open Internet.
Major hubs such as Moscow and St. Petersburg has have reportedly become testing grounds for a “whitelist” censorship regime where only pre-approved websites are accessible. At the same time, access to popular messaging app Telegram has been restricted, with critics suggesting it is a strategic move to push users towards the state-controlled MAX app.
As VPNs become an important lifeline for many Russians, authorities are doubling down on their campaign against circumvention tools.
Last week, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev launched a plan to “reduce VPN use” that introduced new blocking mandates for businesses, along with fines and fees for individual VPN users
Despite these challenges, some censorship-resistant VPNs – namely Amnezia VPN, Windscribe and NymVPN – told TechRadar that they are still operating in the country.
