Russia blocks popular US-made internet speed test tool over national security concerns

Russia’s Roskomnadzor blocked access to Ookla’s Speedtest, citing national security risks from its data collection on Russian network infrastructure; the agency promoted a government-affiliated alternative (ProSet) despite poor adoption and performance complaints. The move reflects broader efforts to localize and control the Runet, including reported restrictions on Cloudflare-backed services and consideration of banning WhatsApp amid wider internet disruptions.