Internet Blackout Hits Moscow as Victory Day Air Parade Rehearsals Begin

Residents of Moscow and the Moscow region experienced significant disruptions in mobile internet and telecommunications services, according to Moscow Times, on May 5.

The outages, which began around 11:00 a.m. Moscow time were reported across all major mobile operators, including T2, MTS, Megafon, Yota, Beeline, T-Mobile, and SberMobile. Popular messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp were also affected.

The scale of the disruptions has been confirmed by monitoring services Downdetector and Sboy.rf, both of which registered a sharp increase in user complaints.

According to Ostorozhno, Moskva, the service interruptions are likely linked to the ongoing rehearsals for the air component of Russia’s upcoming Victory Day parade, scheduled for May 9. In light of these preparations, security measures in the capital have been intensified. An official SMS alert sent to Moscow residents via the Russian Emergency Situations system warned: “Internet access may be restricted due to security arrangements during holiday events.”

Beeline’s press office has confirmed the disruption of mobile communication and internet services across its network. According to the company, the outages are due to “reasons beyond the operator’s control,” suggesting external interference rather than technical failure.

“We recommend using Wi-Fi to access the internet,” the company advised, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

Earlier, the Russian government organized a children’s military parade in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, as announced by Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako. The event featured more than 1,500 elementary school students dressed in military uniforms, marching in formations representing different branches of the Russian armed forces.

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