Google Defies Russian Censorship as Major VPNs Vanish from Play Store

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By 24matins.uk,  published 9 April 2025 at 19h36, updated on 9 April 2025 at 19h36.
Tech

Google has resisted Russian censorship demands; however, it has removed the top VPN apps from its Play Store.

Russia Targets VPNs: Google’s Resistance

Russian internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor, has recently targeted 212 VPN applications on the Google Play Store, continuing its censorship efforts. Between March 12 and April 1, 2025, 214 app removal requests were issued, impacting many top VPNs and accounting for over 90% of all requests sent to Google during this period.

Yet, Google appears to be resisting Russia’s demands. Only 6 out of the 212 targeted VPN applications have been removed from the Google Play Store.

Google’s Reaction to Russian Censorship

On March 12, 47 removal requests were sent, prompting anti-censorship group GreatFire to investigate. Their analysis covered 399 VPN apps, of which 346 (87%) remain available on the Russian Google Play Store. However, it’s disappointing that 13% of VPNs have been removed.

GreatFire’s campaign and advocacy director, Benjamin Ismail, stated: “The Russian government is waging an all-out war against VPNs and other tools that allow Russian citizens to bypass censorship and surveillance”. He further noted that “Google’s actions will play a crucial role in the effectiveness of Russian governmental censorship”.

Impact on Top VPNs

Some of the best VPNs are currently unavailable on the Russian Google Play Store. Top providers like NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN are missing. Additionally, Private Internet Access (PIA) and CyberGhost, two other major players, are also absent. Conversely, two of the most private VPNs, Proton VPN and Mullvad, remain available for download on the Russian Google Play Store. Proton VPN is one of the few still offering physical servers in Russia.

How to Get a VPN in Russia

Some VPNs can be directly downloaded from GitHub, including Proton VPN. Moreover, various VPNs are available for direct download from their provider’s website, and many offer Chrome extensions. While not as comprehensive as the full VPN product, the best VPN extensions for Chrome can still be a lifeline for those under censorship.