Report on Internet Throttling in Russia and Its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Since June 9, 2025, Internet users in Russia accessing web services protected by Cloudflare have experienced significant throttling by Russian Internet Service Providers (ISPs). This report outlines the nature of these disruptions, their impacts, and the implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to industry, innovation, infrastructure (SDG 9), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16).

The Nature of Throttling and Its Causes

The throttling is implemented by local Russian ISPs and is beyond Cloudflare’s control, preventing the restoration of reliable, high-performance access to Cloudflare products and protected websites for Russian users in a lawful manner.

• Internal analysis indicates that users can only load the first 16 KB of any web asset, severely limiting web navigation.
• No formal communication has been received from Russian government entities regarding the motivation behind this action.
• The measures align with longstanding Russian efforts to isolate the Internet within its borders and reduce reliance on Western technology by substituting domestic alternatives.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly threatened to throttle US tech companies operating in Russia.
• External reports confirm similar throttling and disruptions affecting other service providers such as Hetzner, DigitalOcean, and OVH.

The Impact on Internet Access and SDGs

Cloudflare has observed widespread disruptions in connections originating from inside Russia, even when connecting to servers outside Russia. This suggests that throttling occurs within Russian ISPs near end users.

Affected ISPs

• Rostelecom
• Megafon
• Vimpelcom
• MTS
• MGTS

Throttling Mechanisms

1. Injected packets to halt connections.
2. Blocking packets causing connection timeouts.
3. Limiting content served to 16 KB starting June 9, rendering many websites unusable.

All connection methods and protocols are affected, including HTTP/1.1, HTTP/2 on TCP and TLS, and HTTP/3 on QUIC.

Cloudflare Data Insights

Traffic Trends

Cloudflare Radar data reveals a significant decrease in traffic served to Russian users due to a high rate of connectivity errors. This decline is documented on Cloudflare Radar.

Client-Side Reports via Network Error Logging (NEL)

Network Error Logging (NEL), a W3C-defined feature, shows an increase in premature TCP connection resets and significant impacts on QUIC connections, indicating extensive connection tampering.

Corroboration Using Internal Data

Internal data shows increased packet loss to Russian data centers, confirming the throttling effects. Packet loss is a strong indicator of connection disruption, supported by anomalous TCP behavior detected within the first 10 packets, corresponding to the 16 KB data limit imposed by throttling.

Further analysis of TCP resets and timeouts at the Post-PSH stage shows a sharp increase in connection failures coinciding with the start of throttling measures.

If You Operate Internet Sites for Russian Users

Cloudflare currently cannot restore full Internet connectivity for users in Russia due to ISP-imposed throttling. Site operators are encouraged to engage with Russian entities to advocate for the removal of these restrictions.

• Cloudflare enterprise customers should contact their account teams for support.
• Access to a free and open Internet is essential for individual rights and economic development, aligning with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
• Cloudflare condemns any attempts to restrict Russian citizens’ access to the open Internet.

Conclusion: Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

The throttling of Internet access in Russia undermines several Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 9: Restricts innovation and infrastructure development by limiting access to global digital resources.
• SDG 10: Increases digital inequality by isolating Russian users from the global Internet.
• SDG 16: Challenges the principles of peace, justice, and strong institutions by imposing censorship and limiting freedom of information.

Ensuring open and equitable Internet access is critical for sustainable development, economic growth, and the protection of fundamental human rights worldwide.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The article discusses disruptions in internet connectivity and throttling by ISPs in Russia, which directly impacts infrastructure and innovation in digital communication.
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • The restriction of internet access affects individual rights and freedoms, which relates to promoting peaceful and inclusive societies and ensuring access to information.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Access to a free and open internet is critical for economic development and business operations, which is impacted by the throttling measures.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article mentions Cloudflare’s efforts and calls for cooperation with Russian entities to lift throttling, highlighting the importance of partnerships.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs Identified

1. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2025.
2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Indicators related to SDG 9.1 and 9.c:
   • Internet traffic volume and connectivity quality (e.g., packet loss rates, TCP resets, and timeouts) as measured by Cloudflare Radar and Network Error Logging (NEL) data.
   • Percentage of population with reliable and unrestricted internet access.
2. Indicators related to SDG 16.10:
   • Access to information measured by the ability to freely access websites and online content without throttling or blocking.
   • Number of incidents of internet censorship or throttling reported.
3. Indicators related to SDG 8.2:
   • Economic impact indicators linked to internet accessibility, such as digital economy growth or business productivity affected by internet disruptions.
4. Indicators related to SDG 17.17:
   • Number and effectiveness of partnerships between technology providers and governments or civil society to maintain open internet access.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: blog.cloudflare.com