‘Backbone’ of internet Lumen Technologies pulls plug on Russia amid rumours Kremlin planning global disconnect
The ‘backbone’ of the internet Lumen Technologies has said it will be pulling the plug on Russia due to the “increased security risk” caused by the invasion of Ukraine.
“We decided to disconnect the network due to increased security risk inside Russia,” the company said in a statement.
“We have not yet experienced network disruptions but given the increasingly uncertain environment and the heightened risk of state action, we took this move to ensure the security of our and our customers’ networks, as well as the ongoing integrity of the global Internet.”
Whilst the company tried to underplay the impact, stating in its announcement that it has “extremely small and very limited” business services in Russia, Lumen is part of the network that allows data to flow through the infrastructure of the internet.
It will also mean that Russians will no longer be able to access news channels and the plethora of information on the internet that may not be Kremlin related.
US firm Cogent Communications made a similar move last week, cutting internet services to Russians.
However, access to information sources has been blocked in Russia regardless of Lumen and Cogent’s actions.
Despite western coups of Russia, the Kremlin is clamping down regardless. Indeed, Facebook and Twitter have been blocked by Putin’s government in the wake of those platforms blocking Russian state news services across Europe.
There have also been rumours that Russia is planning to ‘disconnect from global internet’ by 11 March.
Belarus-based media outlet Nexta tweeted: “#Russia began active preparations for disconnection from the global Internet. No later than March 11, all servers and domains must be transferred to the #Russian zone. In addition, detailed data on the network infrastructure of the sites is being collected”.
Though this may seem like an impossible task in the complex world of the internet, the Russians have already achieved it before.
Indeed as reported by Reuters in July 2021, Russia “managed to disconnect itself from the global internet during tests in June and July”.