If you’re having trouble using Signal in Russia, it’s not your network’s fault. As part of its new tactics against Ukraine, Russia blocked Signal, a communication app, on August 9.
Don’t panic though, changing your IP address using a VPN will quickly resolve the issue. Keep reading, and we will offer you a full guide.
Table of Contents
Why Russia Blocked Signal?
According to reliable news reports, blocking Signal is the latest move by Russia’s state communications regulator to tighten information control amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.
Signal is a communication app renowned for its strong end-to-end encryption, making it particularly popular among Russian journalists. Due to its robust security, Russian authorities view Signal’s encryption as a violation of their national laws, as it hinders the government’s ability to intercept messages. So to prevent terrorism and extremism from using Signal for malicious purposes, Russian authorities decided to block access to Signal.
Since the Russian president Putin deployed troops to Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has implemented various measures to control information flow during the war. With centralized censorship of communication apps and streaming platforms not feasible, using sovereignty to completely ban these apps on the Internet seems to be the only way.
In addition to Signal, Russia has also banned access to X (i.e. Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. For the general public, this wave of bans may not be over, and they may need to face the upcoming YouTube ban.
💡To get more info about the YouTube ban in Russia, click the link.
How Is Signal Banned in Russia?
After the official implementation of the Signal ban, Russian users can’t use the Signal app normally.
When enter your phone number to log in or sign up, a spinning white circle will appear in the lower right corner of the screen that keeps spinning to indicate that it is loading. After a prolonged wait, a pop-up as shown below will inform you that you can’t connect to the service.
And for logged-in users, you’ll find that you can’t send or receive any messages. Based on the provided real screenshots below, you’ll notice that there is no “✔︎” icon, indicating successful delivery, in the bottom-right corner of each message box.
If you’re already in this situation, don’t spend too much time checking the network connection – using a VPN to access Signal in Russia is the right way to go.
How to Access Signal in Russia?
When you want to send a message to a friend via Signal in Russia, a VPN can ensure successful delivery.
By routing your internet traffic to servers located in other regions/countries, a premium VPN can hide your real IP address and utilize VPN encryption and VPN obfuscation to turn app data into regular traffic, thus solving the Signal ban in Russia.
In the following tutorial, X-VPN will be used as a demo tool, which is one of the best free VPNs available. In addition to having all the features mentioned above, it also offers a truly free version with unlimited data and no login, instead of the usual free trial period on the market.
Here are the simple steps below.
Step 1. Hit the button below to obtain this free VPN download on your device.
Step 2. As shown below, hit the option to select the server in the US, UK, or other countries that have no Signal ban. Then Quick Connect to it.
💡Note: For free users, we choose the fastest server automatically for you from 1000+ free servers based on your geo-location.
Step 3. Now back to the Signal app, and you will find the message can be sent and received normally.
💡Attention: The above screenshots are both from real cases.
Conclusion
As the war continues, social network regulations like the Signal ban in Russia will continue and are expected to grow. Let’s hit the button below to download X-VPN – changing your IP address is always the easiest and most effective way to solve such bans.
FAQs
Does Signal work in Russia?
For now, No, Signal does not work in Russia anymore. Because of the app’s strong encryption capabilities, Russian authorities state it’s highly detrimental to government information regulation – as messages sent via Signal are difficult to intercept. Therefore, on August 9, Russia announced block access to Signal to prevent extremism and terrorism.
Can I still use WhatsApp in Russia?
Yes, you can still use WhatsApp in Russia for now. Although Russia has previously banned Meta Platforms, Facebook, Signal, and other apps, WhatsApp is still the most popular communications platform in Russia and can be used normally without a VPN.
Is Signal safe?
In fact, Signal is very secure. According to their official response, Signal has always maintained a philosophy of not collecting or storing any user data or sensitive info. Their end-to-end encryption technology is so private and secure that no other third party can track or intercept the content. However, it is precisely is also why Russia decided to block Signal, as such high security could become an opportunity for extremism or terrorism.
