Moscow Calling – July 24

Federation Council supports law imposing fines for advertising VPNs and searching for extremist material

The Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building has recommended approving a law that would impose administrative liability for accessing extremist material or advertising VPN services, TASS reports. According to amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses, citizens will face fines of 3,000 to 5,000 rubles for deliberately searching for extremist materials, including using VPNs. Fines for advertising such services will range from 50,000 to 80,000 rubles for individuals and up to 500,000 rubles for legal entities. Additional sanctions are being introduced for violating the rules for using VPNs. Service owners who do not restrict access to prohibited resources or do not cooperate with Roskomnadzor will be fined up to one million rubles for repeat violations. Fines ranging from 30,000 to 200,000 rubles will be introduced for transferring SIM cards or data used to log into personal accounts to another person. The amount of the fine depends on the offender’s status (TASS).

Intended effect:

The law aims to strengthen control over the digital sphere, including user behavior online. Under the pretext of combating extremism and illegal traffic, the Russian government is gaining a tool to pressure citizens who use VPNs to access alternative information. The law is also likely to curb digital anonymity and increase risks for media outlets and activists working in circumvention of censorship.

Moldova’s left-wing opposition unites against Sandu’s party

In an interview with TASS, former Moldovan President Igor Dodon said that a united electoral bloc of left-wing forces would be created with the aim of removing Maia Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity from power. According to him, the government’s anti-Russian policy has led to economic decline, causing damage of at least €5 billion. The agricultural sector has been particularly hard hit, and a significant proportion of the products in stores are now imported. Dodon promised to restore the norm of 50% local products on store shelves. He also criticized the policy of severing relations with Russia, saying that the authorities are acting in the interests of the EU, not the country. According to Dodon, this policy is causing Moldova to lose its energy and foreign economic independence. He expressed confidence that the situation would change after the September 28 elections. Dodon stressed that he is not against cooperation with the EU, but Moldova’s interests should be prioritized (TASS).

Intended effect:

The material promotes the Russian propaganda line, portraying Maia Sandu as a pro-Western leader who is destroying the economy for the sake of foreign interests. The formation of a “patriotic bloc” and Dodon’s rhetoric aim to create an image of “healthy” forces capable of saving the country through rapprochement with Russia.

RIA: Ukrainian government is losing Western support amid growing protests

Amid a sharp conflict between the Ukrainian president’s office and anti-corruption agencies, protests have erupted in major cities across Ukraine, from Kyiv to Lviv, according to an article by RIA Novosti. The article also notes that citizens have spoken out against pressure on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), which was created after the events of 2014 with the support of the EU and the IMF. The reason for this was searches carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine in the bureau, as well as employees’ accusations of ties to Russia and outcast oligarchs. The author writes that the protests were accompanied by slogans familiar from Maidan and the participation of Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Despite protests and criticism from the G7 and the European Union, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law restricting the independence of NABU. EU ambassadors and Western leaders have publicly condemned the actions of the Ukrainian authorities, and the European press has expressed concerns that Kyiv is reversing reforms. In response to the criticism, Zelenskyy promised to continue the changes without abandoning the adopted law. Meanwhile, the media and experts are speculating about possible preparations for a change of power in Ukraine, RIA Novosti reports (ria.ru).

Intended effect:

The article seeks to portray the Ukrainian leadership as having lost the trust not only of the people but also of its Western allies, allegedly bringing the government closer to collapse. The theme of fighting corruption and protests is used to spread a narrative about betraying the “achievements of the Maidan” and the controlled “color revolution.”