Mobile internet shutdowns in Russia’s border Belgorod region became one of the main topics during Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov’s latest live call-in session. Residents said that after a week of restrictions, routine services have been disrupted, including banking apps, parking payments, educational platforms and medical appointment systems. People also complained that the Max messenger does not deliver audible missile-danger alerts.
During the March 23 broadcast, a Belgorod resident named Lyubov asked why the alert channel in Max is needed if warnings arrive without sound. Gladkov replied that push notifications through the service are impossible because its software depends on foreign manufacturers and, in his words, that conflicts with the logic of the regional “white list” of websites and apps that remain accessible during blocks.
The governor said the internet restrictions were “one of the most serious problems” affecting the entire border area and added that, for now, residents have to rely on street sirens and independently track the direction of drone attacks.
During the same broadcast, residents also raised problems with the electronic medical registry. Appointments can still be booked through Gosuslugi, but cancelling them or checking test results on the dedicated site has reportedly been impossible for several days. Gladkov said the regional digital development ministry is trying to add the service to the “white list,” but officials have given no precise timeframe.
Parents of children with diabetes said the shutdowns prevent them from remotely monitoring their children’s blood sugar while they are at school through continuous glucose monitoring systems. Gladkov said the app currently used cannot be added to the “white list” because it belongs to a foreign company. At the same time, he noted that the latest procurement tender for glucose monitors was won by a Russian manufacturer and said the issue would be addressed.
Students and teachers also reported serious disruptions. A medical college student said he could not prepare for accreditation exams or his thesis because all the required tests are online. Residents added that Virtual School, Uchi.ru and Algoritmika have not been included in the “white list,” making it difficult to study, work and track children’s movements via electronic devices.
Connectivity problems have also affected daily routines. In Belgorod, residents say they cannot properly pay for parking: parking meters are not available everywhere, and money already stored in the parking app cannot be used when the network is down.