The Hill
“Before Russia began its brutal assault on Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin controlled citizens’ access to information by flooding the airwaves and internet with propaganda. This year, with aggression toward Ukraine building, the Kremlin stepped up those efforts by shutting down independent Russian news organizations and restricting Russians’ access to Western websites that countered Russian state news propaganda. Many technology experts have said the move was akin to building a digital iron curtain. Almost immediately, millions of Russian Internet users reacted by turning to encrypted digital tools called virtual private networks (VPNs) to get independent news and communicate with loved ones and friends.”