Cogent, a major internet provider that directs data through transcontinental communications, has severed ties with Russian customers due to the invasion of Ukraine, as first reported by The Washington Post. The U.S.-based company is one of the largest core internet service providers in the world, serving clients in 50 countries, including several high-profile Russian businesses.
In a message to Russian customers obtained by The Washington Post, Cogent cited economic sanctions and an increasingly ambiguous security situation as reasons for its complete shutdown in the country. The company also stated that it ended contracts with Russian clients in compliance with the EU's move to ban state-backed Russian media.
Among Cogent's notable Russian clients are the state-backed telecommunications giant Rostelecom, the Russian search engine Yandex, and two of Russia's largest mobile telecom companies, MegaFon and VEON. The severance of Russia from Cogent's global network may lead to slower connectivity but will not completely cut Russians off from the internet.
Visits from former Cogent clients to other core internet service providers in the country may lead to network congestion. There is no indication that other core internet service providers will suspend services in Russia as well.
Digital rights activists criticized Cogent's decision to distance itself from Russia, arguing that it could prevent Russian civilians from accessing reliable information about the invasion.
The Director of Cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) stated, "Preventing Russians from accessing the internet isolates them from independent news sources and the ability to organize anti-war protests."
Cogent's CEO told The Washington Post that the company's actions are not intended to harm anyone. He clarified that the company does not want to prevent Russian civilians from accessing the internet. However, Cogent aims to prevent the Russian government from using the company’s networks for cyberattacks and propaganda.
The Russian government has made it difficult for its citizens to access news sources and social media platforms. It has enacted a new law banning false news and has blocked access to Facebook. Additionally, the government has restricted access to Twitter and threatened to ban Wikipedia over false messaging about the war in Ukraine.
