Russia's Communications and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Roskomnadzor) has blocked access to Speedtest, a network speed measurement service operated by the US company Ookla, citing a threat to the country's digital infrastructure.
The agency said the restrictions were applied to protect public network security and Russia's Internet region.
According to Roskomnadzor, data collected from Speedtest could be shared with US intelligence agencies, increasing the risk of cyber attacks. The report by the International Academy of Communication (ICA) also warned that the collected information could be used to plan, organize and evaluate the effectiveness of attacks on the Russian telecommunications system. The proposal to ban the service has been supported by the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) and the Federal Security Service (FSB).
Speedtest is one of the most popular Internet speed testing platforms in the world, with millions of users every day. Russia has repeatedly fined Ookla for violating data retention laws, including two in 2022 and 2023 with a total fine of more than 7 million rubles ($87,000).
Roskomnadzor recommends that Russian users switch to Pro Set - a domestic network speed measurement tool developed to promote digital sovereignty. The move comes just days after a major cyber attack on Aeroflot, disrupted operations at several airports and led to a series of flight delays.
