Russia's internet shutdowns drive state firms back to traditional landlines

According to a report published by Euronews, state procurement of traditional landline telephones tripled in the first eight months of 2026 as mobile internet outages affected nearly 80% of the country. Amid worsening digital infrastructure failures, Rostelecom's chief publicly advised Russian citizens to keep a physical landline telephone at home "like a fire extinguisher" to ensure basic communication capabilities during service disruptions. This domestic digital contraction highlights the increasing fragility of Russia's centralized telecommunications network, contrasting sharply with the European Union's ongoing focus on high-speed connectivity, single market digital resilience, and cross-border data flows. While EU regulatory frameworks prioritize robust cybersecurity and uninterrupted digital access for citizens and businesses, Russian authorities are grappling with the operational consequences of severe network controls and infrastructure degradation. For businesses and public institutions operating within Russia, the return to analog technology underscores a major step backward in administrative efficiency and economic modernization. Policymakers and industry analysts will closely monitor how further internet instability impacts supply chains and state administration, as digital isolation forces a permanent reliance on legacy communication systems.

Source: Euronews. Read the original report ↗