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5 Best VPNs for Russia in 2024
Our experts have reviewed 53 VPN providers, which were put through extensive rounds of testing. To learn more about that process, here’s how we review VPNs, where we explain our criteria and our policy of being fully transparent.
VPN usage in Russia is at an all-time high because its government exercises strict censorship to curb the spread of information. That said, using a VPN for Russia has become the only way to access the Internet freely. However, finding a problem-free Russia VPN has become quite challenging, so we're here to offer some tips.
Russians regularly face Internet blackouts on many services and sites, including Facebook and Instagram. The good news is that you can bypass these blockages with a VPN, which will mask your IP address and encrypt your traffic to hide your activities online. Connecting to a VPN server in another country will allow you to access restricted content, including streaming services, websites, and social media.
However, you should also know that Russia began banning VPN apps because of the freedom they provide, so it’s essential to find the best VPN with security and privacy capabilities strong enough to operate correctly in Russia.
You’ll want a wide variety of servers to choose from, so finding the best VPN with the most countries and VPN locations is also a priority.
In this article, we’ll recommend the top 5 Russian VPN providers and discuss their features. We’ll also explain how to connect to a VPN in Russia, why you need a VPN, and much more.
So, let’s get into it.
How to Use a VPN in Russia
To use a VPN in Russia, you have to connect to a server outside of Russia. But first, you must choose a VPN, subscribe to the service, and download its app. Here’s what you need to do:
- Subscribe to a VPN (we recommend CyberGhost VPN).
- Download the VPN app on your device and install it.
- Launch the VPN app and log in with your account credentials.
- Select a VPN server outside Russia and wait for the connection to establish.
- Now, you can browse the Internet safely!
You can get a Russian IP address to view content from Russia unavailable in other parts of the world. However, if your goal is to access content blocked in Russia, connect to any server outside the country.
Best VPN for Russia
The best VPN for Russia should offer strong security in the form of AES 256-bit encryption to bypass the advanced firewalls used by the Russian government. It must also maintain a strict zero-logs policy to ensure the VPN provider does not keep records of your sensitive data or activities. Additionally, the best Russian VPN should have servers outside Russia to grant access to geo-restricted content and offer an unlimited bandwidth policy.
Based on the criteria above, here are the best VPNs for Russia:
- CyberGhost VPN – Our #1-Rated VPN for Russia
- Surfshark – Russia VPN with Unlimited Simultaneous Connections
- ExpressVPN – Trusted VPN for Russia with Blazing-Fast Servers
- NordVPN – Best VPN with Obfuscated Servers
- Private Internet Access – Best VPN for Advanced Users
1. CyberGhost VPN - Our #1-Rated VPN for Russia
CyberGhost is a VPN provider based in Romania that wasn't on the list of VPNs asked to comply with the new Russian law. So, it still operates around 60 servers in Moscow. All of those are physically located in the country, making this VPN the best VPN for Russia.
So, CyberGhost is suitable for users in Russia who don't wish to bypass geo-blocks. Those users will get high-end protection against tracking and ISP data logging. However, if you decide to unblock the Web and access new digital services, you can still count on this VPN service.
Another thing worth mentioning is that CyberGhost VPN has a server recommendation feature that can help you choose the optimal server for different scenarios. Using its interface, you can pick servers based on your planned activity, including streaming, downloading torrents, playing online games (available on Windows only), and similar.
Finally, this VPN has a 45-day money-back policy on its long-term plans, a benefit rarely found elsewhere. And in case of any questions, you can turn to its 24/7 live chat customer support.
PROS
- Servers in Moscow, Russia.
- Fully-automated VPN.
- Reliable privacy protection.
- Specialized servers on offer.
- Great for media streaming.
CONS
- Slower than its competitors.
2. Surfshark - Russia VPN with Unlimited Simultaneous Connections
Surfshark is a newer VPN service that rose through the ranks pretty quickly to become one of the top-recommended Russia VPN providers. You'll be surprised by its highly polished UI, high-end security features, and the ability to unblock media streaming websites.
This used to be a VPN with Russian servers featuring locations like Moscow and St. Petersburg. However, like most other Russian VPNs, Surfshark no longer offers servers in the country. Still, it covers around 100 countries in total, which leaves you with a lot of options.
In terms of privacy and security, it comes with a range of tough protocols and encryption options. It also has something called "NoBorders Mode," which is a handy way of ensuring your traffic doesn't look like it's coming from a VPN. Let's also not forget to mention that Surfshark is speedy and highly suitable for media streaming.
In case of any questions or technical issues, you'll get to contact Surfshark via 24/7 live chat. And to ease your mind, this VPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
PROS
- Very easy to use.
- Polished interface.
- High-end security and privacy.
- Speedy performance.
- Great for unblocking sites.
CONS
- Can take a while to connect.
3. ExpressVPN - Trusted VPN for Russia with Blazing-Fast Servers
ExpressVPN was one of the VPNs targeted by Russia's Roskomnadzor in 2021. As expected, the provider has remained committed to its fight for Internet freedom and refused to implement the country's list of blocked websites.
To avoid any sanctions, ExpressVPN no longer offers servers within Russia. However, you can use it to connect to foreign servers and access websites no longer available in the country. It offers servers in neighboring countries, such as Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, and others, for a whopping 94 total countries to choose from.
Since it comes with obfuscated servers, ExpressVPN works perfectly fine in countries like Russia and China, known for their aggressive stance against VPNs. It features lightning-fast speeds, and it's suitable for just about any purpose (including browsing the Web, streaming media, downloading torrents, and plenty more).
As you'd expect from any capable Russia VPN, ExpressVPN comes with 24/7 live chat support. On top of that, it offers a 30-day money-back policy, which comes with no questions asked.
PROS
- Great for unblocking websites.
- Offers obfuscated servers.
- Blazing fast performance.
- No data logging.
- Ultra-strong digital privacy.
CONS
- No servers in Russia.
- 5 simultaneous connections.
4. NordVPN - Best VPN with Obfuscated Servers
This is yet another VPN that has refused to comply with the Russian media regulator's demands and subsequently shut down its Russian servers. NordVPN features a vast network of fast servers worldwide - including the countries neighboring Russia, so that shouldn't be much of an issue.
Additionally, NordVPN offers obfuscation via specialized servers backed by the OpenVPN protocol, disguising your VPN traffic as regular traffic. Highly useful in case Internet regulations in Russia become even more stringent, which is likely to be the case in the future.
This VPN takes great pride in its security-first features, including standard and specialized servers. Using those, you can connect to P2P servers, access the Tor network, double-encrypt your data, and more. The purpose of those features is to hide your personally identifiable data, which they manage to do with plenty of success.
We'll also mention that this Russia VPN comes with 24/7 live chat support. And, as you can expect, your purchase will be backed by a 30-day money-back policy.
PROS
- Specialized servers on offer.
- Highly polished interface.
- Handy obfuscation feature.
- High-end security and privacy.
- No data logging.
CONS
- No servers in Russia.
- Remote servers can be slow.
5. Private Internet Access - Best VPN for Advanced Users
Private Internet Access removed its Russian VPN servers as early as July 2016 due to "a new law that mandates that every provider must log all Russian internet traffic for up to a year." Still, the VPN provider has thousands of VPN servers in 100+ locations across 80+ countries - including Russia-neighboring countries.
If you're concerned about privacy in Russia, you'll be happy to know that PIA has proven its no-logs policy in court twice already. Your data isn't stored on the provider's servers, meaning there's no risk of being exposed to potential government seizures. Not that there was any risk of that anyway, seeing as they don't have servers in Russia anymore.
Also, this is a highly advanced VPN service. It allows you to fine-tune individual aspects of your VPN connection. You can achieve fast speeds by choosing and then customizing your VPN protocol, level of encryption, and more. Even more advanced features like a kill switch and split tunneling are part of PIA's standard offer.
This Russia VPN matches our other recommendations related to support (24/7 live chat) and money-back guarantees (30 days).
PROS
- Highly advanced VPN.
- No data logging.
- Plenty of customization.
- Great for more advanced users.
- Servers in 80+ countries.
CONS
- Heavy on VPN terminology.
- Slow unless optimized.
Why Do I Need a VPN for Russia?
You need a VPN for Russia because it’s the only way to bypass censorship and protect yourself from online surveillance. It’s also the only way to safely access numerous popular websites and services that have been blocked by the government.
Other reasons why you need a VPN for Russia includes:
- Bypassing Censorship – Russia has blocked access to numerous platforms and websites like Facebook, Instagram, SoundCloud, Google News, Wikipedia, and many more. Luckily, a VPN will hide your identity and allow you to circumvent censorship restrictions by connecting to a server in another country.
- Avoiding Online Surveillance – Russia is one of the foremost countries in active online surveillance, tapping into digital communication such as Internet activities. This creates a constricted experience that leaves you little to no freedom online. A Russia VPN will encrypt your Internet traffic, preventing third parties from monitoring what you’re doing online.
- Accessing Geo-Blocked Content – Streaming services like Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max are not available worldwide. If you reside in a country where they are not covered, the only way to access them is to trick the streamers into thinking you’re in a supported country by spoofing your IP address with a VPN.
Which Websites Are Blocked in Russia?
Thousands of websites have been blocked in Russia, especially during the last year following the country's invasion of Ukraine. Russians lost access to countless news sites, social media platforms, and streaming services. Here are some of the most notable examples.
As explained in this guide, pretty much all of the websites listed above can be unblocked. The only trick is to use a powerful-enough VPN service. For more information, turn to our guide that explains how to unblock Russian websites with a VPN.
Are VPNs Banned in Russia?
Yes, VPNs are banned in Russia. The country criminalized the use of VPNs for accessing blocked content in 2017 and threatened VPN services to comply with its demands.
Since last year, Russia has taken an even stricter approach towards blocking popular VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and IPVanish as their popularity soared in the wake of Internet blackouts.
Successfully using a Russian VPN will come down to the VPN’s ability to remain undetected by the prying eyes of the government. We recommend using the VPN services reviewed in this article, which have been tested for reliability.
Some also offer obfuscated servers, which will disguise VPN traffic as HTTP traffic. By hiding that you’re using a VPN, obfuscation technology will help you bypass Russia’s advanced firewalls.
Can I Use a Free VPN for Russia?
No, you should not use a free VPN for Russia. You need a premium provider like CyberGhost VPN to successfully bypass Russia’s advanced firewalls.
Free Russia VPNs are not built the same way as premium VPNs. They lack the necessary functionality, such as strong encryption and obfuscation, to truly keep your Internet activities private. Their other major problem is their lack of speed and reliability - free VPN services offer slow speeds, minimal server selection, and limited bandwidth usage.
Free VPN services are also terrible at protecting your data. They are known to collect your browsing history and sell it to advertisers without your awareness or permission.
That said, if you decide to try a free VPN for Russia, we recommend reading our free VPN guide to picking the safest provider with the fewest feature restrictions.
Final Thoughts
A suitable Russian VPN should be able to reliably keep your real identity and location hidden. It needs robust security protocols, ideally including obfuscation, to remain undetected and pass through Russia’s formidable firewalls.
We recommend CyberGhost VPN as the top VPN for Russia because it utilizes AES 256-bit encryption, offers unlimited bandwidth, and follows a verified zero-logs policy. It also has servers both inside and outside of Russia, so you can easily access any censored or geo-restricted content. With CyberGhost VPN, you can safely conduct your business online with the peace of mind that the Russian government won’t be able to snoop on you.
That’s all for our guide on the best Russia VPN providers. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. Thank you for reading!
