Now that it’s dangerous to use the internet in Russia without a VPN, we looked for the safest and best VPNs to unblock censored sites and ensure your anonymity. After testing over 30 VPNs, I found ExpressVPN excels in Russia due to its superfast speeds and obfuscation technology. Best of all, you can try ExpressVPN for Russia risk-free. Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can claim a refund if you’re not happy. When I tested the guarantee, the full fee was credited to my account 5 days later. Get ExpressVPN for Russia
Quick Guide: Best VPNs for Russia in 2023
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The Best VPNs for Russia (Tested in 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — The #1 VPN For Russia With Advanced Obfuscation Technology
Key Features: ExpressVPN’s advanced obfuscation makes it the best VPN for accessing anything from Russia. It’s powerful enough to overcome most restrictions, including China’s Great Firewall. Plus, by disguising your VPN traffic as regular traffic, you can avoid detection and get around VPN bans. Aside from obfuscation, ExpressVPN offers the following features to protect your identity and activity from prying eyes:
AES 256-bit military-grade encryption with perfect forward secrecy makes it impossible for hackers to intercept your data, protecting all past and future sessions. RAM-only servers ensure that none of your identifying information or browsing history is ever stored on any hard drives, so there’s nothing to see if anyone does gain access to ExpressVPN’s servers. No-logs policy audited by 2 independent firms verifies that ExpressVPN doesn’t log or share any user data. In 2017, Turkish authorities seized ExpressVPN servers and found no user data. “Network Lock” kill switch keeps your data from leaking on an unencrypted connection by blocking all internet traffic until you connect to an ExpressVPN server. 4 secure protocols, including its proprietary Lightway protocol — optimized for enhanced speed and security, so you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. SHA-512 HMAC authentication ensures that the traffic you’re receiving really comes from ExpressVPN servers and hasn’t been tampered with. DNS, IPv4, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection guarantees that your IP address and location are always hidden, even from your ISP and Roskomnadzor.
Additionally, I found that ExpressVPN’s headquarters are in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a privacy-friendly jurisdiction that isn’t subject to any data retention laws. This allows you to stay hidden online without fear of ExpressVPN sharing your data with the Russian authorities. With 3,000+ servers in 94 countries, you might be disappointed that ExpressVPN doesn’t have any servers in Russia. However, like many leading VPNs, ExpressVPN shut down its Russian servers to protect user privacy. This way, they don’t have to comply with Roskomnadzor’s demands that they log user data. What’s more, since streaming services like Ivi and Start.ru aren’t geo-restricted, you’ll still be able to enjoy your favorite Russian-language content from anywhere. If you’re connecting from Russia, you’ll have no trouble finding a fast, nearby server — ExpressVPN has servers in many neighboring countries, including Latvia, Finland, Poland, Moldova, and Romania. You’ll even find virtual servers for Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. When I tested 30+ servers across the globe, I was impressed at the consistency of my speeds. Whether I connected to Poland or Mexico, ExpressVPN’s speeds never dropped more than 17%. This drop was small enough that I didn’t notice the difference, even when I used the VPN for streaming and gaming. Through extensive testing, I found that ExpressVPN could access the following services from Russia: While ExpressVPN is a bit pricey compared to the other VPNs on this list, its advanced obfuscation and strict privacy policy make it worth it. Plus, you’ll get 49% off when you buy a 1-year plan and pay just $6.67/month. If you’re in Russia, you can pay for your ExpressVPN subscription with Qiwi or cryptocurrency. You can try ExpressVPN for Russia at no risk to you. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a refund if you’re not happy. I tested the policy myself by requesting a refund via live chat. My request was approved in under 5 minutes, and the full fee was returned to my account 5 days later. Try ExpressVPN for Russia risk-free
2. CyberGhost — Get a Russian IP Address and Torrent Anonymously on 60+ P2P-Optimized Russian Servers
Key Features: CyberGhost offers hundreds of Russian IP addresses on its 60+ Russian servers. Even though these are virtual servers (for your privacy), they give you a Russian IP address to access your streaming accounts, banking platforms, and local news sites. All its Russian servers are P2P-optimized, which means you’ll have faster download and upload speeds for downloading torrents. No matter which torrent client you use for your downloads, your data will be protected by the following security features:
256-bit encryption with 2,048-bit RSA keys and MD5 for HMAC authentication ensures that your data cannot be hacked or intercepted, even with a supercomputer. DNS/IPv6/WebRTC leak protection allows you to switch tabs and browsers without leaking your cached location or IP address. OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard protocols provide a strong balance of security and speed with limited vulnerabilities. A strict zero-logs policy audited by Deloitte.
Like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost’s headquarters are outside the reach of high surveillance governments — Romania. It’s not subject to the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance or any data-retention laws. CyberGhost also hosts its NoSpy servers in its Romanian data center. These servers are privately owned and operated to minimize the risk of hacks or physical tampering. While most people use them for extra security, NoSpy servers are also a good option for increased speed and reliability. They have their own dedicated uplink to ensure fast speeds and stable connections. When I tested servers in Russia or the 370+ servers in surrounding countries, CyberGhost instantly accessed the following services: During speed tests, CyberGhost’s servers were very fast on local connections and showed only a 15% reduction from my regular internet speeds. However, when I connected to servers more than 10,000km from my location, my speed dropped by up to 40%. CyberGhost’s short-term subscriptions are quite pricey, but you’ll pay just $2.11 a month when you sign up for a 2-year + 3 months plan. Russian residents have the option of using Qiwi or BitPay at checkout. If you’re not ready to commit, you can try CyberGhost completely free with its 45-day money-back guarantee. Claiming a refund is easy, and you don’t need to give a reason. When I tested it, my money was fully refunded within 5 working days. Try CyberGhost in Russia
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — A Vast Network of International Servers For Reliable Access to Restricted Sites
Key Features: Private Internet Access (PIA) has the largest server network by far, with 35,000+ servers in 84 countries, including 310+ in Russia’s neighboring countries. This is great for you if you want to access restricted sites like BBC News, Deutsche Welle, Facebook, and Telegram. You’ll also unblock the following platforms and their libraries with PIA: While it isn’t as fast as ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, you can still stream content in UHD without buffering or lag with PIA. Its NextGen servers only slowed my speeds by 25% on average. A minor con you should be aware of is that PIA’s headquarters are in the US, meaning it’s a part of the 5 Eyes Alliance — a knowledge-sharing network of international governments that can request user data. However, the following list of advanced security features ensures your anonymity, even in 5 Eyes countries like the US:
MACE ad and malware blockers reduce your chances of running into malicious ads and viruses while protecting against cyber attacks like spyware and ransomware. Military-grade encryption ensures your data is unhackable. Data leak protection keeps your location and IP address hidden from third parties, including Roskomnadzor and your ISP. A strict no-logs policy, audited by Deloitte, verifies that PIA doesn’t collect any of your data. Multihop and obfuscation add an extra layer of encryption by rerouting your connection through the Shadowsocks or SOCKS5 proxy and making it look like a regular internet connection. An automatic kill switch stops your internet connection if your VPN malfunctions or disconnects from its encrypted servers.
At just $2.11/month, PIA is essentially the same price as competing VPNs like CyberGhost and PrivateVPN. This means you can access the largest server network available without having to pay a premium. Plus, PIA accepts Qiwi and crypto payments to ensure people in Russia have access to its services. Thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try PIA for Russia completely free. After testing it for a few weeks, I sent an email to customer support asking for a refund. I only waited a few hours for a response and received the full fee just 4 days later. Get PIA for Russia
4. NordVPN — Double VPN Provides Extra Protection for Russian Users
Key Features: By employing NordVPN’s Double VPN feature, individuals accessing the internet from Russia benefit from an additional level of security. This is accomplished by directing your data through two servers instead of just one, effectively doubling the encryption. As a result, it becomes challenging for anyone to monitor your online actions or trace them back to your identity. You’ll also get the following top-tier security features when you use NordVPN in Russia:
CyberSec ad and malware blocker stops pop-up ads and malicious trackers from loading. It also protects you from DDoS attacks and phishing scams. DNS & IP leak protection keeps your IP address, location, and DNS servers hidden. A no-logs policy (audited by PwC), so you can trust that NordVPN won’t collect any personal or browsing data. 3 protocol options, including NordLynx, which uses “double NAT” to ensure user data is never written to its servers. Split tunneling allows you to choose which applications use your VPN connection and which don’t, which is great when browsing local sites.
NordVPN’s headquarters are in Panama, a country well-known for valuing privacy. It has no data retention laws and isn’t affiliated with any intelligence-sharing alliances. While NordVPN doesn’t have servers in Russia, its 5700+ servers worldwide include most of its neighboring countries — Ukraine, Latvia, Finland, Poland, Moldova, and Romania. This makes it easy to find a nearby server if you’re connecting from Russia. Unfortunately, none of the NordVPN servers in this region are obfuscated. This can make it tricky to stay under the radar when using a VPN in Russia. For peace of mind and an extra layer of protection, I suggest using ExpressVPNs obfuscated servers instead. When my team and I tested NordVPN’s servers, we found that it could access the following platforms: You can get NordVPN for $3.49/month when you sign up for a 2-year plan. Plus, you can buy a NordVPN subscription using a prepaid card or cryptocurrency — ideal for signing up from Russia. If you’d like to test it for yourself, you can get NordVPN for Russia completely free, thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee. Getting your money back is easy — just ask for a refund through 24/7 live chat or email before the 30 days are up. I tried it and received a full refund after providing a reason for canceling. Use NordVPN for Russia risk-free
5. PrivateVPN — The Most Affordable VPN With Servers Russia, Ukraine, & More
Key Features: From just $2.00 a month on a 3-year plan, PrivateVPN is the most budget-friendly VPN for Russia. It has 2 Russian servers and 1 each in Ukraine, Latvia, Finland, Poland, Moldova, and Romania. Unlike other VPNs, PrivateVPN offers dedicated IP addresses in 15+ locations at no extra charge. These dedicated IPs make it easier to bypass restrictions, as you’ll be the only one using that IP address at any time. If you’re connecting from Russia, you can connect to nearby dedicated IP servers in Poland or Japan. When I tested them, these servers easily accessed the following services: Regrettably, PrivateVPN is based in Sweden, which is a part of the 14 Eyes Alliance. However, it is important to note that PrivateVPN maintains a stringent no-logs policy, ensuring that your data remains secure and not shared with any governmental authorities. In addition to its no-logs policy, you’ll be protected by various security features, including:
Stealth VPN with Shadowsocks proxy obfuscates your internet connection in high-censorship countries like Russia, ensuring access despite firewalls. Customizable encryption means you can choose between 128-bit and 256-bit encryption, depending on the speed and level of security you need. A kill switch ensures you’re protected by shutting off your internet connection when not connected to a VPN. DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak protection. 4 tunneling protocols — OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec, PPTP, and IKEv2.
While its longer-term plans are cheaper, PrivateVPN also has one of the most affordable short-term subscriptions. If you’re currently in Russia, you’ll only be able to buy a subscription with crypto, as PrivateVPN doesn’t accept Qiwi. You can get PrivateVPN essentially free by taking advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee. To get a refund, you’ll need to reach out to customer support via email. When I requested a refund, I was impressed to get a response just a few hours later and waited less than a week for my money to be returned. Use PrivateVPN in Russia
6. IPVanish — Prevent Deep Packet Inspection on All Your Devices Simultaneously
Key Features: With IPVanish, you can hide from DPI on all your devices and bypass online restrictions in Russia. Plus, with unlimited connections, you don’t have to worry about accidentally using an unprotected device to access the internet in Russia. It also has other security features that protect you in Russia, including:
AES 256-bit encryption and XOR cipher ensure it’s impossible to hack you while obfuscating your VPN connection. 5 protocols — WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPsec, and L2TP. A zero-logs policy stops third parties from being able to intercept and steal your data. An automatic kill switch blocks your internet connection if your VPN disconnects.
IPVanish has 2,000+ servers in 75 countries, including Russia’s neighboring countries like Poland and Romania. This ensures fast speeds for UHD streaming and stutter-free browsing. What’s more, IPVanish can access the following sites: If you want to catch up on the news from independent Russian outlets and international media organizations, IPVanish’s servers quickly load every news site I tested it with. I was disappointed that IPVanish doesn’t accept Russian payment methods or cryptocurrency. But you can get someone outside Russia to purchase the subscription for you with a payment method available in their region. You can get IPVanish for $3.33 a month on a 2-year plan, or you can try it completely free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. Canceling your subscription is easy and can be done without the help of customer support. Once I canceled my plan in my account settings, my refund was automatically processed. I got a full refund the very same day. Try IPVanish risk-free
Comparison Table: 2023’s Best VPNs for Russia
Why You Need a VPN for Russia in 2023
There are various reasons why you need a VPN for Russia in 2023, especially if you live within its borders under strict censorship.
Roskomnadzor: The agency that controls and censors Russian media makes it impossible to access many apps, websites, and platforms with a Russian IP address. Plus, strict requirements regarding the collection and use of personal data remove any chances of privacy and online freedom unless you have a VPN. Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): Unfortunately, military-grade encryption isn’t enough to hide VPN traffic from your ISP or the Russian government’s firewalls. Without a VPN, you won’t have the advanced obfuscation required to disguise your traffic and bypass censorship. Free speech: There is no right to free speech in Russia, making it dangerous to share information or opinions that oppose the Russian regime. Recently, Russian lawmakers have officially approved fake news laws, criminalizing the spread of what they deem false information about Russian state bodies. If you share such information without a VPN, you could face up to 15 years in prison. Torrenting: If you live in Russia or have a Russian IP address, you cannot access and download the content you want. However, with a VPN, you’ll gain access to torrenting sites and won’t have to worry about restrictions or trackers while downloading content. Streaming: While in Russia, you’ll need a VPN to access popular streaming platforms like Hulu and BBC iPlayer. You can use a VPN to access your Netflix US account if you’re traveling to Russia.
Russian Internet Censorship and Regulation
1. “The Telegram Blocking”
A prominent example of internet censorship in Russia is Telegram, where Roskomnadzor attempted to ban Telegram by blocking over 19 million IP addresses. Despite this, its efforts failed, and Telegram stayed online. However, hundreds of websites and apps unrelated to Telegram were restricted or shut down. Examples of sites shut down included Twitch, Viber, MasterCard, e-commerce and banking sites, and more. Unfortunately, it took over a month for them to be put back online despite never being the target in the first place.
2. The Yarovaya Law
Approved in 2016, “The Yarovaya Law” criminalized extremism online. However, in this instance, extremism includes modest protests and the “humiliation of national dignity” — resulting in up to 5 years in prison. The law also allows Russian telecommunication companies and ISPs to store detailed communication records for 6 months and metadata for up to 3 years. Discouragingly, this gives the Russian government and Roskomnadzor the ability to access information showing everything you’ve ever done online.
3. Russia’s Internet Isolation (Establishing RuNet)
Despite not being ready for development, one of the biggest steps of Russia’s censorship strategy includes creating its own alternative to the global internet. In anticipation of this, the “Sovereign Internet” law came into play, allowing the Russian government to switch off Russia’s access to the internet in emergency situations. Additionally, there are plans to develop the Russian government’s version of Wikipedia by 2023 in a bid to share ‘reliable’ information — allowing the state to rewrite history and influence the knowledge Russian citizens have of history. If Russia’s censorship strategy results in the establishment of a domestic internet, VPNs won’t provide access to the world wide web. Stay anonymous with ExpressVPN
How I Tested and Ranked the Best VPNs for Russia
After testing the leading VPNs in 2023, I found the top 7 for Russia based on the following criteria:
Bypasses censorship and geo-restrictions: Every VPN above unblocks streaming services like Dailymotion, apps like Telegram, news sites, and more while in Russia. Strict no-logs policy and safe jurisdiction: The outlined VPNs won’t collect personal data or internet activity and are mostly outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliance. Advanced security features: Each VPN has AES 256-bit encryption, DNS & IP leak protection, obfuscation technology, and an automatic kill switch to ensure anonymity. Fast or superfast speeds: You’ll experience speeds perfect for high-bandwidth activities like UHD streaming, long-distance video calls, and online gaming without buffering or lag. Servers in Russia or surrounding countries: Two VPNs have servers in Russia, while the rest have servers in Russia’s neighboring countries, including Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Finland, Romania, Moldova, and more. Accepts cryptocurrency or Qiwi: Most VPNs accept cryptocurrency, meaning you’ll be able to purchase a subscription in Russia. Responsive customer support: Every VPN on this list gives you access to 24/7 live chat or email support, phone support, and online resources for instant help. Easy-to-use apps and compatibility: All the VPNs outlined above have easy-to-use apps compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and many more devices.
Protect yourself in Russia with ExpressVPN
3 Easy Steps to Set Up a VPN in Russia
How to Pay for a VPN in Russia
Since Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay are no longer available in Russia, the best way to pay for a VPN is using cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum. Nevertheless, when paying for an ExpressVPN subscription from Russia, you get more flexibility in terms of payment options. For example, you can pay via Qiwi when purchasing your subscription, which you can’t do with many VPN providers.
How to Buy a VPN Subscription for Someone in Russia
If you’re unable to access a VPN website to download it on your device, you have two options: With a 24/7 live chat giving you constant access to its customer service team, ExpressVPN can respond to your queries in less than 5 minutes. Additionally, they solve your problems and won’t leave you hanging like other VPN providers I’ve tried. If you’re looking for a responsive team of experts and advanced security features for guaranteed protection in Russia, you can try ExpressVPN risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a refund if you’re not happy. Get ExpressVPN for Russia
Be Careful! Not Every VPN Is Safe or Works in Russia
Russia requires VPN providers to blacklist specific websites and share user data with Roskomnadzor, meaning many VPNs won’t work in Russia as their primary focus is your online freedom. Accordingly, you need a VPN that unblocks blacklisted sites without showing your ISP or the Russian authorities that you’re using a VPN. Most VPNs left Russia to ensure their user’s online freedom and privacy — as Russia’s federal executive body responsible for censorship and control (Roskomnadzor) told them to connect their systems to its blacklist or face permanent restrictions. CyberGhost is the exception, providing virtual servers in secure locations not governed by Russia or Roskomnadzor. Whereas, PrivateVPN has physical locations in Russia but cannot share your data or internet activity with the authorities due to its strict no-logs policy. To get a Russian IP address, follow these quick and easy steps: If caught using an unauthorized VPN in Russia, you and your VPN provider will have to pay fines — 300,000 RUB (~$4,300) for you and 700,000 RUB (~$10,000) for your VPN. Despite this, the VPNs on this list offer advanced security features that make it impossible for the Russian government to intercept your data or identify you when browsing the web. For example, military-grade encryption, secure protocols, obfuscation technology, DNS/IP leak protection, an automatic kill switch, and a no-logs policy will ensure your anonymity without fail. With AES 256-bit encryption, 2048-bit RSA authentication, and a 160-bit SHA1 hash algorithm, OpenVPN is the most secure protocol available and allows you to bypass more firewalls than any other protocol. However, it doesn’t obfuscate your internet traffic, meaning that it doesn’t disguise your VPN traffic and may be found during deep packet inspections. The only way to obfuscate your VPN traffic is to get a stealth VPN or find a stealth protocol compatible with your VPN provider. For example, PIA and IPVanish are compatible with Shadowsocks Proxy and OpenVPN scramble — hiding your VPN traffic by disguising it as HTTPS traffic. Aside from social media platforms, Russia ensures its citizens have little access to news channels, especially Ukrainian news sites. Plus, you won’t have access to any independent Russian media outlets, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Amnesty International, Radio Free Liberty, Bellingcat, Euronews, or BBC News. Other blocked sites in Russia include pro-LBGT sites, the Tor Project, several currency and cryptocurrency exchanges, Dailymotion, and Telegram. Nonetheless, you’ll get instant access to all of them using premium VPNs with advanced obfuscation, as they’ll ensure your anonymity and privacy from Roskomnadzor. Interestingly, Russia also blocks web archiving sites, including archive.org, archive.ec, and archive.is. But, with a VPN that provides advanced security features, you don’t have to worry about losing access to your accounts or being intercepted by the Russian government. Many free VPNs rely on data logging and selling user information to third parties to supplement the income they lose on free plans. This makes it more likely that you’ll be identified and penalized by Roskomnadzor or other law enforcement agencies. Even the best free VPNs on the market limit your ability to use their services. You’ll only have access to a few connections (usually 1), with strict data caps, speed throttling, and no streaming or torrenting support. Instead of a dubious free service, I suggest you invest in a premium VPN with a lengthy money-back guarantee. The 45-day guarantee from CyberGhost gives you more than a month to test every feature — if you’re not satisfied, you can easily get a full refund. Hide your IP address with ExpressVPN After testing more than 30 VPNs, I found that ExpressVPN is the VPN for Russia in 2023. It has advanced obfuscation, RAM-based servers, an audited zero-logs policy, and robust security measures in place. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can try ExpressVPN risk-free and get a refund if you’re not completely satisfied. I put the money-back guarantee to the test and received a refund in just 5 days. Try ExpressVPN for Russia risk-free
