Russian users of the Signal messenger have reported service outages, according to data from Sboy.rf and Downradar, as highlighted by the publication Vazhnye Istorii.
Some readers reported, they experienced difficulties accessing Signal in the morning of August 9.
Journalists from the Russian media outlet Vazhnye Istorii noted that the messenger does not open without a VPN or bypass mode, leading them to believe that Signal is being blocked in Russia.
Mikhail Klimarev, director of the Internet Protection Society and author of the ZaTelecom Telegram channel, also suggested that Russian authorities might have begun blocking Signal, with the disruption starting on August 8.
There has been no official confirmation of the messenger being blocked in Russia.
Signal is regarded as one of the most secure messaging apps, utilizing end-to-end encryption for calls, messages, and file exchanges, making them difficult to intercept by mobile operators and government agencies. Additionally, Signal collects and stores minimal user data compared to other messaging services.
It is speculated that Signal might potentially be targeted in order to disrupt its use by Ukrainian forces, currently reported to be present in the Kursk region of Russia. Signal is widely used by the Ukrainian military, as it is known for its strong encryption, and therefore, stays the primary source of secure communication.
Previously, on the morning of August 8, the YouTube video hosting service stopped opening on computers and mobile devices for users in Russia.
