Russian censors target Google in VPN takedown push

• Google reportedly hit by 233 VPN removal orders in Russia in March
• Requests to remove 500 URLs from Search were also issued in April
• ZoogVPN was removed from Google Play, but flagged as "malicious"

Russia's media regulator, Roskomnadzor, issued removal orders for 233 apps on Google Play in March 2026 alone, specifically targeting tools designed to bypass 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 records in the Lumen Database — a US non-profit tracking global content removal requests — detailing an April request from Roskomnadzor to delist over 500 URLs from Google Search results in Russia. The order cited the 2017 Federal Law No. 276-FZ, which prohibits the use of VPN services to access state-blocked content.

However, Google appears to be largely resisting these demands. Speaking to TechRadar in April last year, Benjamin Ismail, Campaign and Advocacy Director at GreatFire, said that only six apps were removed despite more than 200 blocking orders. It is unclear how many apps were removed as a result of the most recent round of orders.

Google mostly resisting removal orders, but ZoogVPN disappears

Removal orders targeting app store providers are nothing new. According to data from Important Stories, Roskomnadzor has requested that Google delist at least 1,379 VPN services and other circumvention tools since 2024.

The big tech giant was fined 22.8 million rubles this past February, specifically for failing to comply with removal orders and for allegedly promoting VPN services through advertisements on Google Play.

By comparison, Apple does not disclose full details about 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 over the year, upon government request. Last week, Apple was also reported to have removed some custom VPN clients from the Russian App Store.

It's worth noting, however, 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 considered it as "malicious."

However, some apps are being removed by Google. On Tuesday, the 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 this may be a "false positive" rather than a legitimate security threat.

It remains unclear whether ZoogVPN’s removal is directly linked to the surge in Russian takedown orders or is an unrelated technical issue. TechRadar reached out to Google for clarification, but have not received a response at the time of publication.

An increased need for VPNs

In what digital rights experts have termed "Russia's great internet crackdown," residents are finding it increasingly difficult to access the open web.

Major hubs such as Moscow and St. Petersburg have reportedly become testing grounds for a "whitelist" censorship regime, where only pre-approved sites are accessible. At the same time, access to the popular messaging app Telegram has been restricted, with critics suggesting that it's a strategic move to push users toward the state-controlled MAX app.

As VPNs become an essential lifeline for many Russians, authorities are doubling down on their campaign against circumvention tools.

Last week, Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadaev launched a plan to "reduce VPN usage," introducing new blocking mandates for companies alongside 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 working in the country.

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