Residents of Moscow are facing a significant disruption to daily life as widespread mobile internet outages grip the city, part of a broader tightening of digital controls by the Russian government.

Authorities have framed the restrictions as necessary for national security, citing the threat of Ukrainian drone attacks. While other regions of Russia have experienced intermittent outages since May, the capital had largely avoided such disruptions—until early March, when connectivity issues began affecting millions of Muscovites.

The blackout has disrupted businesses reliant on mobile networks and forced many residents to revert to cash transactions as digital payment systems falter. Some citizens have questioned whether the outages are solely security-related or part of a broader effort to tighten control over communications.

“No one is happy about this. No one understands why it’s happening—or rather, everyone seems to understand why,” said a Moscow resident, identified only as Lera, while speaking to NBC News. She added that many fear a complete shutdown of mobile internet could occur within months.

Interviewees declined to provide full names, citing concerns about possible repercussions for speaking with foreign media on a sensitive issue.

The outages come amid a broader crackdown on digital freedoms following President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Restrictions on online activity have steadily increased, with authorities tightening oversight of platforms used for news and communication.

Most recently, the government has slowed access to Telegram, a widely used platform in Russia, and has floated the possibility of banning it altogether—raising further concerns about the future of internet access and free expression in the country.