Andrey Svintsov, who serves as Deputy Chairman of the Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications Committee, conveyed to Ura.ru the news about the start of YouTube’s collaboration with Russian authorities and its alignment with the country’s laws.
As a result, the video platform blocked three clips that discussed avoiding military service in Russia. The blocked videos appeared on the channels Dozor in Volgograd, Military School, and several independent regional media outlets, with the latter grouped among entities listed as foreign agents by the Ministry of Justice.
The blocking stemmed from requests issued by state institutions. Svintsov noted that YouTube could maintain cooperation with Russia to prevent a total shutdown, especially as domestic equivalents to major video hosting services are being developed at a rapid pace.
Speaking further, Svintsov asserted that there is a real possibility of avoiding a full block since Russian analogs of YouTube are increasingly coming online. He expressed hope that the platform would continue to operate in a cooperative fashion with Russia and that local services would also be able to fulfill similar roles.
He added that other major foreign companies, including Microsoft, are beginning to meet Russia halfway, suggesting a potential slow resumption of Western corporate activity in the Russian market.
In a related note, some Windows versions have been observed to contract computer viruses upon connecting to the internet, underscoring ongoing cybersecurity concerns and the broader context of international technology relationships in the region.