VPN downloads in Russia increased 14-fold
The demand for VPN applications in Russia has surged dramatically, with users downloading these programs 9.2 million times via Google Play in March 2026, marking a 14-fold increase compared to the same period last year. Over the year from March 2025 to March 2026, total installations reached 35.7 million, with the highest activity recorded in the first quarter of 2026, where over 21 million downloads occurred in just three months. Despite this growth, the number of blocked VPN applications in the App Store has also risen, with 116 apps being restricted by the end of April. Regulatory authorities have cited issues with local services not functioning properly when VPNs are enabled.
Demand for VPN applications in Russia has increased sharply. According to Digital Budget data, users downloaded such programs 9.2 million times via Google Play in March 2026. Ixbt.com reports this.
This figure is 14 times higher compared to the same period last year.
In the period from March 2025 to March 2026, the total number of installations reached 35.7 million units. The highest activity was observed in the first quarter of 2026, with more than 21 million downloads recorded within three months.
Some popular services were installed more than 2.5 million times in a single month.
According to analysis by the Sensor Tower portal, the active user base of the five most popular VPN services in Russia reached 7.3 million people by the end of 2025. At the same time, instances of VPN applications being removed from the App Store system are also increasing.
By the end of April, 116 applications had been blocked in the Russian segment.
Representatives of the Ministry of Digital Development explained the reasons why local services do not function when a VPN is turned on. Currently, Google Play remains the main source for downloads; however, dozens of services are being removed from stores at the request of regulatory authorities.
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