Kremlin Says Internet Restrictions Are Temporary and Will Be Lifted Once Safe

JAKARTA - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that internet restrictions, which it acknowledged had caused disruption for many Russians, were necessary for security reasons, but were temporary and would be lifted once the situation was safe.

Authorities shut down mobile internet in Moscow for nearly three weeks in March and regularly block it elsewhere across the world's largest country, citing the risk of Ukrainian drones using it to guide attacks.

Authorities have also stepped up a campaign to block messaging apps such as Telegram, as well as virtual private networks (VPNs) used to bypass online censorship.

"No, this is not a step backwards," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, when asked if this was a regressive step, launching Al Arabiya from Reuters (14/4).

"Currently we are in a situation where security considerations dictate the need to take certain steps," he explained.

"It is clear that restrictions on internet access cause inconvenience for many citizens, but this is the situation we are facing today. After the need for these measures ends, internet access will of course be fully restored and back to normal," Peskov said.