VPN companies have become one of the primary targets in Russia, where virtual restrictions and bans have reached a historical peak. Following a statement from Roskomnadzor (the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media) in 2017, and due to many companies' unwillingness to comply with these requirements, numerous services ceased operations in the country. As a result, determining which VPNs work in Russia or obtaining a Russian IP address through a VPN provider has become quite difficult.
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However, there's no need to worry, as there are still VPN companies on the market unaffected by the restrictions. Below, we review virtual private network providers that are still operational in Russia and provide foreign (and Russian) IP addresses. By choosing one of the presented options, you can change your IP address to the desired one in just 3 minutes. With them, you'll be able to browse web resources as if you were in the chosen country and access various streaming platforms like, for example, Netflix.
If you are abroad (on vacation, a business trip, or have emigrated), you can use these online services to watch Match TV, Okko Sport, Amediateka, IVI Ru, More TV, Kinopoisk, Wink Ru, etc.
How to Check if a VPN Works
Checking if a VPN works is very simple – usually, such services provide a free trial period (typically with limited functionality). For this, it's enough to install the application (program) or browser extension. Some services also offer the possibility of connection through a special webpage (an anonymizer) – in this case, you don't even need to download or install anything. It's best to start testing with the following popular worldwide online services.
Surfshark (Russian servers temporarily unavailable)
SurfShark is one of the most recommended VPN providers. It provides not only privacy but also global server coverage. Unlike major players in the VPN market targeted by the Russian government, SurfShark appeared relatively recently with its specialized VPN servers in many cities worldwide, including Moscow (temporarily non-operational). When connecting to SurfShark's Moscow server, you would be assigned a suitable IP address. This address allows you to access the internet as if you were in the corresponding country. In other words, you could watch TV programs, conduct financial transactions, and work with foreign online services.
SurfShark servers provide download speeds of over 100 Mbps, which is an excellent indicator. For example, watching video in 4k resolution requires a download speed of about 20 Mbps. This means a SurfShark server allows you to view video content in high quality and browse any websites at such speeds, making it feel as if you aren't even connected to a VPN server.
SurfShark is based in the British Virgin Islands, which has no data retention laws. As a result, the company does not track or store its users' online activity. This guarantees that neither your current Internet Service Provider nor the government can track what you do on the internet. SurfShark can be installed on any devices and platforms:
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Computers (Linux, Windows, macOS);
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Mobile devices (iOS, Android);
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Browsers (Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge);
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Television (FireTV, Apple TV, Android TV);
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Consoles (PlayStation, Xbox).
When using SurfShark as your primary VPN service, you can use one account to connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously.
Four other popular VPN services have similar technical characteristics:
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Cyberghost (Server Location: Moscow; Download Speed: 168 Mbps; A good option for streaming; 7 simultaneous connections).
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VeePN (Server Locations: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg; Download Speed: 181 Mbps; 10 simultaneous connections; The best choice if you've gone on vacation to Turkey).
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RusVPN (Server Locations: St. Petersburg, Moscow, Krasnodar, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk; Download Speed: 25 Mbps; 10 simultaneous connections).
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VyprVPN (Server Location: Moscow; Download Speed: 174 Mbps; Reliable no-logs policy; 5 simultaneous connections).
Can You Be Blocked or Punished for Using a VPN?
Under Russian law, end-users cannot be blocked or punished solely for using a VPN (even when visiting resources banned in Russia). However, Roskomnadzor has demanded that VPN providers disclose their private keys to the Russian government so it can monitor encrypted traffic.
It follows that using private network services is possible, but one must be cautious – after all, even an accidental 'like' or an 'incorrect' comment can lead to unpredictable consequences (especially if published on banned social networks).
On the other hand, the blocking and voluntary withdrawal of VPN services is entirely possible and is practiced quite 'successfully'. For example, VPN providers such as NordVPN, StrongVPN, ExpressVPN, and IPVanish refused to cooperate with Roskomnadzor. Consequently, these services lost access to Russian data centers and ceased providing Russian IP addresses.