VTB

Why Legitimate Russian Websites Fail to Load With or Without VPN: TSPU RKN Blocking and MinTsifry Certificates Explained

Russian internet users are experiencing widespread access issues to legitimate domestic websites both when using VPNs and when connecting directly. The problems stem from TSPU devices installed by all ISPs under Roskomnadzor requirements and the transition to national MinTsifry certificates that foreign browsers do not trust. Three distinct error scenarios are documented: ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT when accessing Russian-IP sites over VPN, ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID on major bank sites without VPN, and partial page loading failures caused by TSPU fingerprinting. Solutions for ordinary users include split-tunneling VPN clients, installing MinTsifry root certificates, or switching to Yandex Browser and Chromium-Gost. Website owners are advised to disable TLS 1.3, enable HTTP/2 support, and consider changing server IP addresses if SSH connections are also blocked. The article explicitly excludes any discussion of circumvention methods for prohibited content and focuses only on legal Russian resources as of August 2026.

Russian Court Bans Advertising for Renting and Selling Third-Party Bank Cards

The Chertanovsky District Court of Moscow has ruled that information promoting the rental and sale of other people's bank cards is prohibited for distribution in Russia. The decision targets a website and two Telegram channels that offered users the chance to temporarily lend or permanently sell their cards to third parties. Such schemes are commonly used to recruit drops who help receive, transfer, and cash out stolen funds. The court found that these proposals violate the rights and legitimate interests of citizens. Owners of the resources could not be identified, and domain registrars were foreign companies. VTB had previously warned about these schemes in 2024, noting that card owners risk ending up on bank blacklists, losing access to financial services, and facing criminal charges. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has also highlighted that transferring bank cards and accounts to outsiders can lead to criminal liability, with fraudsters particularly targeting children and teenagers.