**YouTube Traffic in Russia Drops to 20% Amid Deliberate Slowdowns**
Russia’s efforts to restrict access to YouTube have been successful, with traffic to the platform plummeting to just 20% of normal levels. The Moscow Times reported on December 23 that experts say this is due to deliberate slowdowns implemented by Russian regulators.
The regulator, Roskomnadzor, began throttling YouTube speeds in July, initially blaming technical issues caused by wear and tear on Google’s servers. However, Google dismissed this claim, and Russian lawmaker Alexander Khinshtein later confirmed that the slowdowns were intentional. Khinshtein said the measure targets YouTube’s administration for allegedly ignoring Russian legislation.
As a result of these restrictions, YouTube has become nearly unusable in Russia. The average video start time for fixed networks increased from 1.21 seconds in June to 11.01 seconds by September. In December, operators extended the slowdowns to the mobile version of the platform, further hindering access.
Russian President Vladimir Putin defended the restrictions during his annual press conference on December 19, claiming that YouTube’s declining performance was the result of the platform’s own actions. He argued that Roskomnadzor’s complaints against YouTube were justified and that the platform must adhere to Russian laws to operate effectively in the country.
The move follows escalating tensions between Google and Russian authorities. In April, a Moscow court upheld nearly $50 million in fines against Google for refusing to remove content deemed by Russia as discrediting its military and promoting extremism.