Several districts of Moscow have been experiencing mobile internet disruptions for a third day, while mobile phone service has also periodically disappeared in some areas. Novaya Gazeta Europe reported this, describing the impact of the outages on daily life in the city.
According to the outlet, the problem became especially noticeable on the morning of March 4, 2026. In an unfamiliar neighborhood in eastern Moscow, a car-sharing app failed to display available vehicles even though cars were parked nearby. At a shopping center, some food outlets were accepting cash only, and visitors were directed to use ATMs.
A few days earlier, a residential building chat had circulated a notice citing the Emergency Situations Ministry about a scheduled public warning system check. The message said that at 10:40 a.m. on March 4, 2026, sirens and loudspeakers would be activated across Russia and television and radio broadcasts would be briefly interrupted to transmit a test signal.
Amid the disruptions, city libraries became an important way for some residents to get online because their Wi‑Fi networks were still functioning. However, the author notes that first-time access to the city network requires verification through a phone number linked to mos.ru, making new connections difficult without mobile internet.
The outages also affected other everyday services. It remained possible to order a taxi from home over Wi‑Fi, but communication with drivers became difficult once passengers went outside. Shops were affected as well: customers at checkout were unable to open loyalty apps that automatically apply discounts.
The outlet also cites an example from municipal services. A janitor complained that, because of the lack of connectivity, he could not send photographs used as proof that work had been completed. In the author’s account, the outages disrupted the digital services on which Moscow’s transport, retail trade, and parts of the municipal economy depend.