Russia Warns Citizens to Stay Silent Online to Avoid Recruiters’ Attention

Russia’s Interior Ministry has urged citizens not to share personal information or their views in public chats, groups, or online forums in order to avoid attracting the attention of recruiters.

According to The Moscow Times on January 28, in its statement, the ministry said individuals involved in drawing people into illegal activities often look for users with what it described as an “active civic position,” analyzing their online behavior and activity.

“Do not share personal information or your views in open chats, groups, or forums. Avoid arguments on provocative topics,” the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

The ministry also advised people to refrain from posting detailed information about their place of study, work, or residence, to restrict access to social media profiles, not to answer personal questions, and to avoid adding unknown individuals as friends online.

Citizens who notice signs of recruitment attempts or pressure were urged to immediately contact law enforcement.

The warnings come as Russian authorities move to further tighten control over the information space. Russia’s State Duma  is expected to review government-sponsored amendments to the country’s Law on Communications that would sharply expand the powers of the Federal Security Service.

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If approved, the changes would allow the FSB to require telecom operators to temporarily shut down not only mobile internet access but also fixed-line internet and telephone services. The proposed measures are formally justified as necessary for “protecting citizens and the state from security threats.”

The amendments were introduced to parliament in November, and initially some analysts viewed them as an effort to legalize only mobile internet shutdowns. However, the scope of the proposal is broader. By the end of 2025, Russia had become the world’s leading country in mobile internet disruptions, with shutdowns totaling 37,166 hours and affecting nearly the entire population.

Earlier, Russian leader Vladimir Putin directed the government to draft additional restrictions targeting software from countries Moscow labels as “unfriendly,” according to a list of presidential orders published on the Kremlin’s official website.

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