Russia to double spending on internet traffic blocking and filtering

Russia plans to spend nearly 60 billion rubles over the next three years on its system for filtering and blocking internet resources, according to an appendix to the draft budget reviewed by the business magazine Forbes Russia.The funding will go to the Chief Radio Frequency Center (GRChTs), an entity under Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal media regulator, which operates the automated system that secures the Russian segment of the internet (ASBI).Two years ago, the plan called for allocating 32 billion rubles for ASBI’s operation over the same period. It remains unclear why the costs have doubled. The press services of the Finance Ministry and the Digital Development Ministry did not respond to Forbes Russia’s request for comment. A source close to the Digital Development Ministry suggested that explanations “haven’t been written into the bill yet — they should be expected by the end of the year.”Experts say the costs are rising along with equipment prices. Traffic volumes keep growing, requiring more powerful processors, RAM, and storage drives for filtering, and the prices of those components keep climbing. At the same time, sanctions are making it harder for Russia to obtain imported components.ASBI’s reach is also expanding geographically. Under the “sovereign Runet” law, telecom operators must install Russia’s internet traffic filtering system (TSPU) on their networks. This equipment lets Roskomnadzor filter, slow, and block internet traffic. It has yet to be installed on operator networks in the occupied territories of Ukraine, according to Alexey Amelkin, president of the Association of Telecom Operators Makatel:And new equipment for the TSPU will cost more because of sanctions and the global rise in prices for certain components like RAM. If the TSPU keep getting “smarter,” that is, start using AI, that will also require fundingAt Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.If you find any errors in this translation, please contact us at [email protected].To read Meduza’s exclusive content in English, please subscribe to our newsletter.