The Russian media and internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has blocked access to the popular internet speed measurement platform Speedtest by American company Ookla. The decision was made "due to identified security threats to the operation of the public communication network and the Russian internet segment," the regulator told RBC.
Roskomnadzor advised users to rely on “trusted Russian services” for internet speed testing instead.
Ookla is a U.S.-based internet analytics company best known for its free tool Speedtest, which allows users to measure the speed and quality of their internet connections via a simple web interface. The service is widely used around the world, including in Russia, by individual users and telecommunications companies alike.
The Speedtest service collects technical information about communication networks, data transmission routes and access points, “and all this is happening under the jurisdiction of the United States, where such data can very well be used by intelligence agencies," Russian MP Anton Nemkin said.
According to Nemkin, Russia has a “safe alternative” is available in Rustore — the ProSet application, developed by Roskomnadzor's subordinate center.
Security Allegations and Political Support
Back in October 2024, the newspaper Izvestia reported that both the State Duma and the Federal Security Service (FSB) supported a proposal by the International Academy of Communications (IAC)</strong) to prohibit the use of Speedtest by Russian internet providers.
"Ookla maintains close ties with U.S. intelligence services, which could have enabled the creation of a global test-control system for communication networks,"
According to Ositis, this relationship raises concerns about foreign surveillance through speed measurement tools operating inside Russian networks.
Technical Challenges and Expert Opinion
Sergei Melnik, an academic at the IAC, noted that technically blocking Speedtest across Russia is a difficult task. Instead, he recommended that telecommunications operators remove Ookla’s software from their internal systems and migrate to domestic alternatives.
"It’s extremely difficult to block Speedtest entirely. A more effective solution is for operators to stop using Ookla software and transition to Russian-made testing tools,"
This move marks another step in Russia’s ongoing effort to ensure digital sovereignty and reduce reliance on foreign technology, particularly from countries it views as strategically adversarial.
