Internet and cashless payments are glitching in major Russian cities because of preparations for May 9

Internet and cashless payments are glitching in major Russian cities because of preparations for May 9

In Moscow and St. Petersburg, disruptions to mobile internet began overnight. Users are complaining about problems with all major operators: MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, and YOTA. In Moscow, even the "white lists" are not working, the Ministry of Digital Development confirmed—the agency simply did not have time to coordinate them with the security services. Taxi drivers are gathering near cafes and spots with free internet to catch orders. In Yekaterinburg, banks warned clients about disruptions to cashless payments and ATM operations through the end of the week because of the same communication restrictions. Services like Yandex Go confirm that users may encounter difficulties.

The internet shutdowns are taking place against the backdrop of previously announced "temporary restrictions" on communications from May 5 to May 9.

What is happening in practice:

➖ calling a taxi does not work

➖ problems arise with paying for parking

➖ businesses cannot process payments

➖ people are looking for Wi-Fi to use familiar services

➖ the restaurant business in central Moscow and St. Petersburg is suffering significant losses

Earlier, the Kremlin said that the internet shutdowns were connected exclusively with ensuring citizens' safety. However, despite the communication problems, UAV attacks on Russian cities are only intensifying.

Peskov's Mustache | Connect our VPN