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Kiril Petkov is not a typical Bulgarian prime minister. The 41-year-old probiotics entrepreneur and Harvard Business School graduate is a political newcomer. He could not be more different to Boyko Borissov, the burly former bodyguard who dominated Bulgarian politics for 12 years, until he resigned last year after months-long street protests against corruption.

After three general elections in eight months, Petkovs newly created We Continue the Change party swept to power at the head of a four-party coalition, vowing to tackle Bulgarias most pernicious problem: corruption.

Speaking to the Observer, Petkov said he wanted to eradicate corruption during his four-year term in office. I dont say decreasing corruption, I say full eradication, he said, adding that he hoped Bulgaria would be a textbook case of how corruption can be eliminated in a short time. And I dont think its so hard. Bulgaria has 6.5 million people its not such a huge country so what looks like an insurmountable task for a very large country, I dont think its the case for Bulgaria.

He was speaking before police detained Borissov and reportedly searched his home on Thursday after the fledgling European public prosecutors office announced it had opened 120 investigations into fraud involving EU funds in the country. Officials did not elaborate on the accusations against Borissov, who has faced allegations of corruption in the past and always denied wrongdoing.

The decision by Bulgarias chief prosecutor, Ivan Geshev, to release Borissov from custody without charge after saying he found procedural flaws, and that the former prime minister could not be detained further due to lack of evidence, prompted sharp criticism from the government.

We are faced with just the next sabotage on the part of the prosecution headed by Ivan Geshev, Petkov said.

Speaking before Borissovs arrest, Petkov differentiated himself from his predecessor. Borissov, he said, had to make deals with the oligarchy system to maintain power. By contrast, there had been huge hygiene about who could join the party he co-founded with fellow Harvard graduate Assen Vassilev, now the finance minister. We are independent, we are starting clean, we are depending on nobody.

Sitting at the EU table, Bulgaria will be championing democratic standards, he said. You will see Bulgaria from now on speaking about the rule of law as a really strong proponent. The first thing is you should look at yourself and make sure you do your own work before pointing fingers.

He questioned why it was Washington, rather than Sofia, that put sanctions on the Bulgarian oligarch, media mogul and political kingmaker, Delyan Peevski, who is alleged to have controlled Borissov from behind the scenes.

The US described him as someone who has regularly engaged in corruption, using influence peddling and bribes to protect himself from public scrutiny and exert control over key institutions and sectors in Bulgarian society.

Petkov said: I think we should be raising our eyebrows why somebody from 8,000km away could see more clearly significant acts of corruption. He located the blame in Sofia: First we have to look at why the prosecution in Bulgaria closed their eyes to this.

Petkov wants Geshev to resign, although he has no power to make this happen. Last month, the prime minister handed Geshev a list of 19 individuals linked in media reports to high-level corruption and told prosecutors to do their job.

Louisa Slavkova, director of the Sofia Platform, which promotes democracy, describes Petkovs decision to hand over names as unprecedented. They [the government] have the capacity to focus on the toxic triangle between business, politics and media, she said.

Daniel Smilov, at the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, said Petkov and his party had the potential to turn the corner to make Bulgaria a country that is not systemically referred to as the most corrupt country in the EU.

The problem for Petkov is that his original agenda has been overtaken by all sorts of crises. Galloping inflation, lingering Covid Bulgaria has the lowest EU vaccination rate as well as war in Europe. Bulgaria does not share a land border with Ukraine but cannot avoid the ripple effects of the conflict in its neighbourhood. The war is a fraught issue for the coalition, as some members have been historically pro-Russia, although all have condemned the invasion. What unites them is their stance against the corrupt acts of the previous government, but when it comes to some of the other issues, there are tensions, to put it mildly, Smilov said.

Earlier this month Bulgarias defence minister, Stefan Yanev, was sacked after refusing to describe the Russian invasion as a war.

Bulgaria has backed EU sanctions against Russia so far but opposes a ban on Russian oil and gas imports, a position also supported by Germany and Hungary. We are the most dependent of the EU nations [on] Russian gas. Sometimes we are 100% dependent, which is staggering, Petkov said. He hopes to see a gas interconnector and long-delayed 182km pipeline connecting Bulgaria to Greece completed by the summer, bringing cheaper gas from Azerbaijan and breaking Russias monopoly.

While Bulgaria supports humanitarian aid and champions Ukraines EU membership prospects, it has ruled out sending weapons.

Despite Petkovs pro-EU credentials, Slavkova contends there is still ambiguity in the coalitions communication about Bulgarias alliances, especially in the context of a media space that didnt take seriously the disinformation attempts by Russia for many years.

She thinks Bulgaria is at a turning point comparable to the late 1990s when, after a decade of instability after the fall of the Berlin wall, the country chose a westward path. It feels like a historical moment for a country like Bulgaria, it feels like we are at a point when we almost have to decide anew that we are part of Nato and the European Union.

Read this article:
I will free Bulgaria from corruption: Kiril Petkov speaks out - The Guardian

Can Russia's control of the national media be successful? Interview with political scientist Professor Nils Weidmann

"Russia's information war has been neglected for too long": Political scientist Professor Nils Weidmann from the University of Konstanz studies how autocracies control their country's media, and what role the internet plays for protest movements.

In the interview, he describes why internet technology can play into the hands of autocracies, and why courageous actions like the disruption of Russian news by a peace activist will rarely be seen.

Note to editors:Professor Nils B. Weidmann is happy to talk to the press. Please email kum@uni-konstanz.de if you are interested.

About Nils Weidmann:Professor Nils B. Weidmann is professor of political science at the University of Konstanz and co-speaker of the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality". He leads the research group "Communication, Networks and Contention" and focuses on protest movements and civil wars as well as digital communication and political mobilization.

Recommended reading:Nils B. Weidmann, Espen Geelmuyden Rd (2019): The Internet and Political Protest in Autocracies. Oxford University Press.

You can download a photo of Nils Weidmann at:https://cms.uni-konstanz.de/fileadmin/exzellenz/inequality/Personen/Weidmann_Nils.jpgCaption: Professor Nils B. Weidmann, University of KonstanzPhoto: Ines Janas

Contact:University of KonstanzCommunications and MarketingPhone: + 49 7531 88-3603Email: kum@uni-konstanz.de

- uni.kn/en

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Link:
The "Information War in Russia - EurekAlert

The FIA announced in the days after the controversial title-decider between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton that it would be launching a full investigation, which has taken place over the last three months.

On the eve of the 2022 season, the FIA released an executive summary of the report, detailing what happened in Abu Dhabi and offering recommendations.

FIA Executive Summary Report

Executive summary of the analysis and clarification exercise conducted by the FIA following

the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Introduction

This report has been drawn up to present to the WMSC members the conclusions arising from the analysis of the events that took place during the last five laps of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix counting towards the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship. The sole purpose of this report is to draw any lessons from this situation and clarity to be provided to the participants, media, and fans about the current regulations to preserve the competitive nature of our sport while ensuring the safety of the drivers and officials.

A) Ontrack events

1. On 12 December 2021, on Lap 53/58 of the race of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held at the Yas Marina circuit in the United Arab Emirates (the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix), the last Competition counting towards the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship, Nicholas Latifi (Williams Racing) crashed into the barrier at the exit of Turn 14 at 18:21:37 local time. Marshals were required to remove the car and debris from the track. At this point, the racing order was as follows: #1. Lewis Hamilton (HAM), MercedesAMG Petronas F1 Team (Mercedes); #2. Max Verstappen (VER), Red Bull Racing Honda (Red Bull) and #3. Sergio Perez, Red Bull. Marshals immediately displayed doublewaved yellow flags in that sector.

2. At the time of the crash, both HAM and VER were driving on hard compound tyres, each having undertaken one previous tyre change. At 18:21:54 local time, the Safety Car was deployed by Race Control. VER pitted for new soft compound tyres. HAM remained out on track on hard compound tyres, behind the safety car Once the field was under control behind the Safety Car, the recovery of N. Latifis car began. The speed of the recovery was, however, slower than anticipated, due in part to the cars brakes having caught fire. On Lap 55/58, the recovery and cleanup of the incident continued.

3. At 18:27:55 local time, with the race on Lap 56/58 and the safety car still on the track as there was still significant debris being cleared by marshals on the track, the standard message LAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO OVERTAKE was published which led to confusion amongst the teams as they were preparing for the unlapping procedure. At this point, the racing order was as follows: #1. HAM; #2. VER and #3. Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow (S. Perez having retired). Several radio exchanges took place between Red Bull and Race Control (see details on Page 4).

4. At 18:31:01 local time, with the race on Lap 57/58 and the safety car still on the track, the track was clear and the message LAPPED CARS 4 (NOR) 14 (ALO) 31 (OCO) 16 (LEC) 5 (VET) TO OVERTAKE SAFETY CAR (i.e., only the five lapped cars between HAM and VER) was published on Timing Page 3 and official message system. Three further lapped cars remained behind VER (Car 3 (Riccardo), Car 18 (Stroll) and Car 47 (Schumacher)). Those three lapped cars were not directed to, and did not, overtake VER or others. Mercedes made a remark to Race Control by radio (see details on Page 4).

5. Race Control subsequently notified the teams (on Lap 57/58) as follows: SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP.

6. At 18:32 local time, with the race entering Lap 58 (the final lap), the messages TRACK CLEAR and CLEAR IN TRACK SECTOR 18were published. This allowed for green flag racing conditions on the final lap.

7. On Lap 58/58, VER overtook HAM at Turn 5 and took the lead in the race. At Turn 9, HAM almost touched VER while trying to overtake him, but VER stayed ahead and crossed the finish Line first. HAM crossed the finish Line second.

8. At 18:33 local time, the message CHEQUERED FLAG was published.

B) Protests, hearings and Stewards decisions

9. At 19:01 local time, Mercedes filed two notices of protest pursuant to Article 17 of the 2021 Formula One Sporting Regulations (F1 Sporting Regulations) and Articles 13.1 to 13.5 of the 2021 International Sporting Code (Code). The first protest alleged a breach of Article 48.8 of the F1 Sporting Regulations on the basis that VER overtook HAM during the safety car period. The second protest alleged that there had been a breach of Article 48.12 of the F1 Sporting Regulations during the Race, and sought an amendment to the Race Classification as a result (the Protest).

10. At 19:45 local time, the Team representatives of Mercedes and Red Bull were summoned by the Stewards for the following reason: Protest by MercedesAMG PETRONAS Formula One Team against Car 33, alleged breach of Article 48.8 of the 2021 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations (i.e. Car 33 (VER) would have overtaken Car 44 (HAM) during the Safety Car period at 18:32).

11. At 20:45 local time, the Team representatives of Mercedes and Red Bull were summoned by the Stewards for the following reason: Protest by MercedesAMG Petronas F1 Team against the classification established at the end of the Competition, alleged breach of Article 48.12 of the 2021 FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.

12. At 22:14 local time, after having heard the representatives of both F1 Teams concerned, the Stewards issued Document 57 whereby they determined that although Car 33 did at one stage, for a very short period of time, move slightly in front of Car 44, at a time when both cars where accelerating and braking, it moved back behind Car 44 and it was not in front when the Safety Car period ended (i.e. at the line). Accordingly, the Protest is dismissed.

13. At 23:03 local time, after having heard the representatives of Mercedes and those of Red Bull (as an interested party) and the Race Director, the Stewards issued Document 58 (the Decision) whereby they determined that Article 15.3 allows the Race Director to control the use of the safety car, which in our determination includes its deployment and withdrawal. That although Article 48.12 may not have been applied fully, in relation to the safety car returning to the pits at the end of the following lap, Article 48.13 overrides that and once the message Safety Car in this lap has been displayed, it is mandatory to withdraw the safety car at the end of that lap. That notwithstanding Mercedes request that the Stewards remediate the matter by amending the classification to reflect the positions at the end of the penultimate lap, this is a step that the Stewards believe is effectively shortening the race retrospectively, and hence not appropriate. Accordingly, the Protest is dismissed.

14. At 23:22 local time, within one hour of the publication of the Decision (see Article 15 of the International Sporting Code and Article 10.1.1 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules), Mercedes notified the Stewards in writing of its intention to appeal in respect of the Stewards decision regarding the Article 48.12 Protest. The deadline for lodging this appeal before the FIA International Court of Appeal (ICA) was 16 December 2021, 8.22 p.m. CET.

15. Mercedes did not submit a notification of appeal by the deadline (or at any time thereafter), but rather confirmed publicly on 16 December 2021 that it was withdrawing its appeal.

II. KEY ISSUES AND FINDINGS

As confirmed by the WMSC in its statement of 15 December 2021, the purpose of the detailed analysis and clarification exercise was to identify any lessons that could be learned from the events that took place at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP and consider how best to provide clarity to F1 participants, fans, and media regarding the Formula 1 rules and regulations going forward.

16. The role of the Race Director is by nature demanding and highpressured. However, a recurrent theme in the detailed analysis and clarification exercise was a concern that the number of roles and responsibilities of the Race Director that have accumulated over the years might be adding additional pressure to the role.

17. From 1997 to 2019, the role of Race Director was held by Charlie Whiting. In addition to the position of Race Director, Mr Whiting simultaneously held the positions of FIA Safety Delegate, Permanent Starter, and Single Seater Sporting Director. Following Mr Whitings death in March 2019, Michael Masi was appointed as the new Race Director. Mr Masi had previously held the role of Deputy Race Director for F1, F2 and F3 from 2018. Mr Masi also took over Mr Whitings roles of Safety Delegate and (from 2021) Single Seater Sporting Director.

18. Suggestions made by the F1 Commission, and those interviewed included that some of the Race Directors responsibilities should be divided and assigned to other persons to reduce the workload of the Race Director and allow them to focus on their key functions, including managing and controlling the race.

2. Radio communications between F1 teams and the Race Director

19. Radio communications between F1 teams and the Race Director were identified as another key issue during the analysis.

20. Direct radio communications between the F1 Teams and Race Control were made public from early on the 2021 Season as part of a broader media strategy. It should be noted that only part of the exchanges was made public.

21. Following the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, there was a significant amount of media attention and public debate directed towards the communications between the Race Director and the Red Bull Racing Team Principal on the one hand, and the Race Director and the Mercedes Team Principal on the other hand, especially the conversations which took place during the final laps of the race

22. On Lap 56/58, after the message LAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO OVERTAKE was published, the conversation1 between Red Bulls Team Principal (Christian Horner) / Team Manager (Jonathan Wheatley) and Race Control (Michael Masi) was as follows:

23. On Lap 57/58, after the message LAPPED CARS 4 (NOR) 14 (ALO) 31 (OCO) 16 (LEC) 5 (VET) TO OVERTAKE SAFETY CAR was published, Mercedes Team Principal (Toto Wolff) radioed Race Control:

24. Thus, much of the debate centred around the purpose and appropriateness of those communications and whether inrace communications between the F1 teams and the Race Director should be broadcasted or even permitted at all.

25. The consensus of those involved in the detailed analysis and clarification exercise was that the respective communications to the Race Director by the Red Bull Racing and Mercedes Team Principals during the final laps of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP had a negative impact on the smooth running of the final laps because they were distracting when the Race Director needed to focus on making difficult and timepressured decisions.

26. Indeed, when the Safety Car is deployed, the Race Director must in particular monitor the cars on track, the order in which they are placed, the deployment of the appropriate flags, the progress of the marshals intervention and then, if the Clerk of the Course considers that conditions so permit, order the Safety Car to leave the track.

27. The Race Director must therefore manage both the cars on the track, the intervention of the Safety Car and what happens at the scene of the incident, i.e. a considerable number of tasks to be accomplished in a minimum of time to allow the race to resume safely and as soon as possible, while at the same time responding to the demands of the Team Principals. This requires immense concentration.

28. Hence, it was found that these communications were neither necessary nor helpful to the smooth running of the race. Rather, the consensus was that they add pressure to the Race Director at a critical time (i.e. at a time when the Race Director must simultaneously monitor the cars on the track, the deployment of the appropriate flags, and the progress of the marshals in clearing the track, and also liaise with the Clerk of the Course in relation to the end of the safety car period) and might seek to influence (whether directly or indirectly, or intentionally or unintentionally) the decisions made by the Race Director.

29. With the foregoing in mind, the consensus of those involved in the detailed analysis and clarification exercise was that communications between (on one hand) F1 teams and (on the other hand) the Race Director during a race ought to be restricted so that the Race Director would be free to perform his/her crucial role without unnecessary disruption and distractions.

3. Safety car unlapping procedure

30. The safety car unlapping procedure was a central topic of discussion during the detailed analysis and clarification exercise, stemming from the misunderstanding regarding the application of this procedure at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, pursuant to Articles 48.12 and 48.13 of the F1 Sporting Regulations.

31. It was apparent from the analysis that there could be different interpretations of Article 48.12 and/or Article 48.13, and that this likely contributed to some of the confusion surrounding the safety car unlapping procedure. It was therefore considered that these provisions of the F1 Sporting Regulations would benefit from clarification.2

32. It was also considered that the decisions regarding the safety car at the end of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP likely took into account previous discussions (including at meetings of the F1 SAC, the F1 Commission, and F1 Team Managers) that made clear the F1 teams preference to end races under green flag racing conditions, rather than behind a safety car, when safe to do so. The F1 drivers consultation confirmed that finishing a race under green flag racing conditions remains desirable, but that safety should always come first. If for safety reasons it is not possible to withdraw the safety car, the F1 teams confirmed that they would accept finishing the race under safety car conditions.

33. The process of identifying the lapped cars used to be a manual process. For 2022 season a software has been developed that will automate the communication of the list of cars that must unlap themselves.

34. In a recent EVote, the WMSC has confirmed a rule change that clarifies that in case of unlapping all cars rather than any cars have to unlap. Further investigation into the F1 timing system shall clarify whether a virtual unlapping procedure could bring advantages and simplification.

35. The results of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the FIA Formula One World Championship are valid, final and cannot now be changed. In accordance with the rules, Mercedes made a protest to the stewards after the race, seeking to change the race classification. The stewards dismissed the protest and Mercedes then had an opportunity to appeal that decision to the FIA International Court of Appeal, but did not do so. There are no other available mechanisms in the rules for amending the race classification.

4. FIA race management team structure

36. The support available to the race management team was identified as a key issue by participants in the analysis, in the context of ensuring that the Race Director is able to perform his/her role to the best of his/her ability.

37. Responsibility for supporting the race management team lies primarily with the FIA Single Seater department. When consulted in relation to the support that they provide, department staff reported that the team was positive and worked well together. They noted the demanding nature of the Race Director role, particularly in light of the Race Directors multiple roles and responsibilities. They also identified the need for additional support and resource in order to improve the functioning of the department and thereby provide better support to the race management team.

38. Additionally, the staff identified the need to improve communications between the FIA office in Geneva and track staff, and between the F1 Sport and F1 Technical departments. They also noted the complexity of the F1 Regulations (in particular the F1 Technical Regulations, the Technical Directives that supplement them, and the F1 Financial Regulations) and the reduction of the duration of consultancy agreements from 3 years to 1 year, often resulting in higher staff turnover and so reduced familiarity with the rules.

IV. THE RECOMMENDATIONS

39. Recommendations are set out below to address the findings and conclusions in this report. These recommendations have been presented by the FIA President to both the F1 Commission and the WMSC, and were publicly announced in a statement of the FIA President released on 17 February 2022.

Recommendation 1: to assist the Race Director in the decisionmaking process, a Virtual Race Control Room should be created. Like the Video Assistance Referee (VAR) in football, it will be positioned in one of the FIA Offices as a backup outside the circuit. In realtime connection with the FIA F1 race director, it will help to apply the Sporting Regulations using the most modern technological tools.

Recommendation 2: direct radio communications during the race, currently broadcast live by all TVs, should be removed in order to protect the Race Director from any pressure and allow him to take decisions peacefully. It will still be possible to ask questions to the Race Director, according to a well defined and nonintrusive process.

Recommendation 3: unlapping procedures behind safety car should be reassessed by the F1 Sporting Advisory Committee and presented to the next F1 Commission prior to the start of the season.

Recommendation 4: a new race management team has been put in place starting in Barcelona for the test session. Niels Wittich (former DTM Race Director) and Eduardo Freitas (former WEC Race Director) will act alternatively as Race Director, assisted by Herbie Blash (former righthand man of Charlie Whiting) as permanent senior advisor.

40. Many improvements, such as recruitments and the division of the Race Directors many roles and tasks, have already been made. Furthermore, the role of Executive Director of the FIA Single Seater department was created within the FIA in December 2021, which Peter Bayer holds in addition to his role as Secretary General for Sport.

41. However, in order to finalise the new structure:

- A new F1 Sporting Director will be recruited (process finalized),

- An additional senior regulatory legal counsel will be recruited to strengthen the legal support (i) during the F1 competitions (regardless of the time difference) and especially during the weekend and (ii) on F1 sporting matters.

42. It is suggested that all the recommendations that have not already been implemented are actioned as a matter of priority so that the benefit of the lessons learned from the detailed analysis and clarification exercise can be maximised for the for the 2022 season. The WMSC members will be kept regularly informed of the progress made.

Read more from the original source:
In full: The FIA report on the 2021 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Motorsport.com

The Bunkers has found itself at the centre of controversy after the Warriors were awarded a contentious try against the Titans.

On the stroke of halftime, Phillip Sami failed to ground the ball in his in-goal allowing Warriors star Adam Pompey the chance to score.

Replays, however, showed the put down was dubious at best, triggering debate amongst the Fox League panel.

This is a big crucial try right on halftime but did he get it down? Cooper Cronk asked.

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I dont think that was a try, Michael Ennis said.

Lets have a look at it, Braith Anasta said.

It is a big call and I think the focus of the bunker was so much on the grounding from Sami, but not so much Pompey.

Mark Geyer took aim at the bunker in a cheeky tweet on social media.

Ennis and Cronk initially believed that Pompey didnt have control of the ball and promoted it forward into Samis leg.

He pushes it into the leg of Sami and he doesnt get control of it, Ennis said.

It is not a try.

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Me neither and that right hand slides off it, Cronk said.

It doesnt actually compress the ball down onto the grass.

Im with Mick it hits the leg, but I dont know if it gets that compression on the grass.

However, Anasta believed that the call was close enough to give the attacking team the benefit of the doubt and Ennis conceded on the final replay that Pompey may have done just enough.

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I think it is really close, Anasta said.

We can maybe give them the benefit of the doubt even though the three of us are leaning towards no try.

Sami unfortunately thought he grounded that with his torso. They got that right, he certainly hadnt.

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But just whether Pompey grounded the ball is the contentious one.

Maybe he does when you slow it down from that back angle, Ennis said.

The side angle it doesnt look like it. It looks like it slides off.

But the rear angle it looks like it just gets pushed into the turf fractionally. Is it control? It was enough.

Read the original:
Are we watching the same game?: Legends stunned as bizarre bunker call burns Titans - Fox Sports

Russia launched a full-scale military assault on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and since then the Russian government has been desperately trying to control the narrative, including blocking Facebook and Instagram, as well as restricting Twitter and access to independent news. Keep reading to learn how to unblock social media in Russia and read uncensored news.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thousands of people have been killed, while millions have fled their homes. Meanwhile, the Russian government is restricting some social media networks and news outlets to control the narrative within Russia.

Many Ukrainians flee on foot toward European borders.

Additionally, the Russian government is shutting down independent news, while Russian state media and schools are under strict orders to call the invasion a special military invasion, not a war.

Fortunately, if you live in Russia, you dont have to bear the brunt of Putins digital repression. With a solid VPN, you can get past these geoblocks and access the open internet. In this guide, well show you exactly how to unblock content using a VPN, plus our recommended VPNs for Russia.

YouTube still works in Russia, although the social media platform has suspended advertising revenue for Russian channels.

Russia has blocked Instagram, with the government saying its because the platform is being used to incite violence against Russian soldiers. However, the ban is part of a concerted effort to clamp down on independent media and control the narrative surrounding the war.

Russia has a long list of sites that are not allowed in the country. A number of those sites include porn and gambling sites, but youll also see a lot of news sites there. So its not just about changing habits; its also about controlling information flow.

Russia forbids the use of certain VPNs that dont cooperate with the government, and theres extensive government surveillance to detect and block VPN use. Russians should use a VPN that doesnt have servers in Russia for security reasons.

Setting up and using a VPN only requires a few steps, as well show you below. For this example, well use ExpressVPN, but note that you can follow similar steps regardless of the VPN youre using.

Visit ExpressVPN and click on the get ExpressVPN button (or the ExpressVPN button). Youll be asked to choose a plan and payment method, after which you can download and install the VPN on your device.

Log in to the ExpressVPN app and select a VPN server in a country with an open internet.

Connect to your preferred server. Next, open the app or platform you want to access. You should be able to access blocked content and be protected from surveillance.

Russia is cracking down on freedom of speech in social media and news platforms. If youre living in Russia, a VPN is a must-have, since it allows you to bypass censorship. In this section, well delve into why Russia is banning the likes of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Russia and Ukraine have been in military conflict since 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas. In early 2022, Russia began military exercises near the Ukrainian border, and even with thousands of troops deployed in Russia and Belarus, the world largely didnt believe that Putin would invade Ukraine again.

Russia invaded Crimea in 2014 and the rest of Ukraine in February 2022.

However, in February 2022, the Russo-Ukrainian war came to a head when Putin launched an all-out offensive against Ukraine a move that sparked fierce global outrage. His reasons for invading Ukraine include the demilitarization and de-Nazification of Ukraine, claims proven to be false.

World leaders rallied to condemn the war, with President Joe Biden calling it an unprovoked and unjustified attack while the U.K.s Boris Johnson called it a path of bloodshed and destruction.

Media outlets both in Russia and around the world have been condemning Putin for starting a needless war. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become avenues to express dissent against Putin and the Kremlin. They have also become rallying points for Ukrainian fighters and sympathizers.

Unsurprisingly, the Russian government hasnt taken kindly to the pushback. In March, Putin signed a new law that could incarcerate anyone for up to 15 years for spreading fake news about the invasion. Further, several independent news sites have been blocked, while thousands of anti-war protesters (Russian citizens) have been arrested.

Even worse, Russia has blocked Instagram and Facebook while seeking to label Meta (Facebooks parent company) as an extremist organization. Although Twitter still works within the country, the company says the service is restricted for some users.

Using a VPN service is the best way to beat the social media ban, so its no surprise that demand for VPNs in Russia has skyrocketed by more than 2,000% since the Instagram ban.

In addition to the ground war in Ukraine, the Russian government is also waging a war online to control the narrative for Russian citizens. This online censorship began years ago, including with the government trying to control VPNs and when it failed, it tried to ban their use.

In 2021 alone, the Russian government banned 14 VPNs, as you can see in our Russia VPN ban guide. However, Russian authorities have failed to block VPN use altogether. If you want to unblock social media in Russia, youll need a secure and reliable VPN provider. Our top picks include ExpressVPN, NordVPN and CyberGhost.

Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN were banned by the Russian government in 2021 because they refused to connect to the Federal State Information Service (FSIS), which would have defeated the purpose of the VPN entirely. However, you can still access ExpressVPN and NordVPN online in Russia to download the software.

Although CyberGhost is not banned in Russia, it does not have any physical servers within the country the Russian server is virtual which means your data is secure from the Kremlin. However, youd still be able to get a Russian IP address, if you needed one.

ExpressVPN is the best VPN service for unblocking news and social media in Russia.

ExpressVPN offers best-in-class security, earning it the top spot in our best VPN guide. Besides the military-grade AES-256 encryption, you get a kill switch and DNS leak protection, which work to ensure your data is always safe.

Of its servers in 94 countries, ExpressVPN has a few in countries close to Russia, including Finland, Ukraine and Poland. Whats more, ExpressVPN is a high-speed VPN, boasting excellent download and upload speeds, as you can see in our best fast VPN.

ExpressVPN is extremely secure for Russian users. If any government ever subpoenas ExpressVPN to share your data, therell be no data available since the VPN uses the TrustedServer technology, which wipes your data periodically on its RAM servers. Read our full ExpressVPN review for more information.

NordVPN is a cheaper alternative for accessing blocked content in Russia.

NordVPN is another extremely secure VPN option for Russian people. The VPNs kill switch and DNS leak protection coupled with a strict no-logs policy make NordVPN a top choice. With NordVPN, youll get access to over 5,400 servers in 60 countries to help you encrypt your internet connection to access restricted content, like social media and streaming platforms.

Whats more, NordVPN has some handy features for political activists and journalists. Theres Onion over VPN, which allows you to use the Tor Browser and VPN simultaneously. Youll also get double-hop servers that route your traffic through two servers and to an extra layer of protection. See more details in our NordVPN review.

CyberGhost has a virtual server in Russia, if you need a Russian IP address.

If you need a Russian IP address, you need to use a VPN with Russian servers. Unlike ExpressVPN and NordVPN, CyberGhost has a virtual server in Russia, which means its our top choice for getting a Russian IP address. However, it also has more than 7,700 servers in 91 countries.

Additionally, this VPN service has customizable security features including camouflage mode and NoSpy servers to help you access censored websites. It also offers a free one-day trial on desktop. Learn more in our CyberGhost review.

If you were in Russia, youd have noticed by now that you cant access Instagram and Facebook, while Twitter is severely limited. Independent news media is also bearing the brunt of Putins clampdown. Fortunately, with a trustworthy VPN, Russians can beat internet censorship and get information from outside the country despite the blocks.

Have you attempted to unblock a news platform or social media site in Russia? Which VPNs gave the best results? Did you experience any challenges with it? Let us know in the comments section below, and as always, thank you for reading.

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How to Access News and Unblock Social Media in Russia 2022 - Cloudwards