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Internet usage in Russia - statistics & facts

Russia has the sixth-largest online population worldwide. With an increasing penetration rate, the Russian internet, also known as RuNet, plays a significant role in the country's society. In the past two decades, the population became more connected, as the internet started assisting Russians in their daily life, enabling them to pay the bills, order food and taxi, and communicate via social media. The young generation is particularly tech-savvy, as Russian children get their own digital devices at an early age, using them to access social networks, video services, and games. During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many Russians learned online skills while adapting to remote working arrangements or education and increased their use of digital services.

How do Russians access the internet?

Most Russian households connect to the internet via smartphones. The country was forecast to have over 135 million mobile internet users in 2029. The 5G infrastructure is still under development, challenged by high costs and policy complications, as higher frequencies are occupied by national security authorities. The number of mobile broadband subscriptions was estimated at over 171 million in 2024, which was over four times higher than the fixed broadband connections count.

What are the major internet companies in Russia?

A major characteristic of the Russian internet is the wide availability of the country's own online resources. The leading internet corporations are Yandex and VK. Both companies provide a variety of services, such as a search engine, food delivery, mobility apps, maps, and news aggregators. Furthermore, they expanded their businesses with Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, such as smart home devices and virtual assistants. When it comes to social media, the user count of domestic platforms like VKontakte, Telegram, and Ok.ru, or Odnoklassniki, was among the highest in the country. In the e-commerce segment, the largest online retailer was Wildberries.

Russia's sovereign internet

Freedom House ranked Russia's internet freedom at 21 out of 100 points in 2023, as state-led interventions like information bans and site blockings limit internet use. The government is pursuing the 'sovereign internet' policy, amending the national legislation to ensure a centralized management of the RuNet by the state. In 2020, free access was enabled to domestic online resources considered socially essential. Starting from April 2021, smartphones, computers, and smart TV devices sold in the country had to have Russian software pre-installed on them. At the end of 2021, the government demanded several foreign tech companies, such as Google, Meta, Apple, TikTok, and Twitter, to open a subsidiary in Russia to comply with the country's regulations.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Feb 27, 2024

Key insights

Internet user penetration in Russia
83.42%
Number of mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in Russia
168.98
Share of population covered by 4G mobile networks in Russia
88.6%
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Leading online resources on desktop and mobile devices in Russia in August 2022, by average daily reach (in millions)

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Overview

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Overview

Internet users

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Search & traffic

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Search & traffic

Broadband internet

5

Broadband internet

Mobile internet

5

Mobile internet

Online activities

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Consumer behavior

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Further reports

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Mobile internet usage worldwide
Mobile internet usage worldwide
Internet usage demographics in the United Kingdom (UK)
Internet usage demographics in the United Kingdom (UK)
Mobile internet usage in Europe
Mobile internet usage in Europe
Digital services in Russia
Digital services in Russia

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