Russia blocks Twitter as Ukraine invasion escalates

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

According to a report from the internet monitoring group NetBlocks, Russia has blocked access to the social networking site in an apparent attempt to stifle the flow of information. Every major Russian telecom provider had failed or heavily throttled connections by Saturday morning. Direct connections are restricted for Russians, but they are still able to access the service through a virtual private network.

The block has been confirmed by journalists on the ground. The access was severely restricted, but the message got through, according to the reporter.

The reason behind the restrictions is not clear, but it is related to a broader purge of social media platforms in the country. Friday night, Russia announced a new block on Facebook after the platform removed the accounts of four state-run media organizations, a move the government described as a violation of the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens.

A request for comment was not immediately responded to.

Russian forces are focusing their attack on the capital city of Ukraine. The capital was in the hands of the Ukrainian government. More than 1,000 people have been wounded in the fighting, according to the country's health minister.

Russian state media has presented a sanitized version of the conflict, focusing on the plight of refugees from the Eastern Donbas province.

There are disturbing images and videos from the conflict that are circulating on social media. The video shows a Russian missile hitting a residential apartment tower. The evidence for the use of cluster munitions is still questionable.

Internet access in the country is still active and there is no restriction on access. Some analysts have raised concerns that Russian forces could seize telecom infrastructure and institute an internet blockade as the conflict escalates, but so far there have been sporadic and local internet disruptions.