Since 2015, Russia has been gradually increasing their online surveillance measures and online content restrictions as a form of security. However, this has caused a high inconvenience to internet users, as there online privacy was being abused. Data retention laws were created, obligating ISP’s to keep records of the online activity logs of their users for as long as 6 months. The only solution to this that could be done by internet users was to obtain a good VPN service to protect their online privacy since they are unable to trust their ISP’s in doing that anymore. Since the main issue was internet privacy, the main focus of finding good VPNs for Russia was directed towards the features related to this area. In other words, the main focus was on 3 main points; level of security, logs or privacy policy, and servers’ network. With that being known we were able to perform a narrower search to find the best 3 VPNs for Russia.
Best VPNs for Russia
VyprVPN
VyprVPN was launched by a large internet company called Golden Frog, which was launched in Switzerland with the core goal of providing a secure and private internet experience for their users. Now they have become one of the largest names in the VPN industry. This is due to their strong and unique security features, and these features are the exact reason why they are one of the best VPNs for Russia.
Level of Security
- Encryption protocols supported in VyprVPN app include OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP and their very own Chameleon.
- As an additional layer of security for the users’ connection, the app has a NAT firewall.
Servers Network
- VyprVPN’s network of servers consists of over 700 servers in over 70 server locations, spread across 6 continents.
- This network provided the users’ with over 200,000 shared IP’s.
Logs Policy
- Since VyprVPN are owned by Golden Frog, they use their 100% owned servers giving them the edge to implement the zero-knowledge VyprDNS service.
- This means they don’t keep logs what so ever especially that they are located in Switzerland which is a country with very low, if any, data retention laws.
Russia is a tough country to deal with when it comes to internet privacy, however, VyprVPN is a lot tougher and probably even one of the toughest VPNs for Russia.
ExpressVPN
With strict data retention laws in Russia, this calls for a big name in the VPN market with strong features and a solid background. ExpressVPN is exactly that. ExpressVPN is considered one of the strongest VPNs for Russia and almost all over the world due to its extremely high privacy and security measures, its high-end features, and its reliable network.
Level of Security
- The entire network of servers is SSL secured with a 256-bit encryption. When it comes to security, this is considered military grade encryption.
- The app supports advanced security protocols (OpenVPN with TCP/UDP, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, and SSTP).
Servers Network
- The network consists of servers in over 145, spread across 94 countries around the world.
- Each server provides the users with thousands of shared IP’s that are continuously being rotated and updated.
Logs Policy
- The privacy policy clearly states that only very minor contact information is kept for the sake of the subscription. This information is not enough to give away the users’ online identity and it is kept highly secured
- No online activity logs are recorded or kept under any circumstances.
ExpressVPN provide many more features that make them such an awesome VPN provider especially among VPNs for Russia. They are a highly recommended option.
NordVPN
NordVPN are very specialized in customized solutions when it comes to internet security and privacy. This exact reason is why they ranked in several lists before. With a new challenge like Russia, NordVPN came to the rescue to be one of the reliable VPNs for Russia.
Level of Security
- The network is secured with an AES 256-bit SHA encryption.
- The app supports advanced security protocols (OpenVPN with TCP/UDP, L2TP/IPSec, and PPTP).
- An additional unique security feature is their very own Double Data Encryption, in which data is encrypted twice as it passes through 2 servers instead of 1.
- Additional security features include an automatic kill switch and a DNS leak resolver.
Servers Network
- They have a network of servers in 847 locations, spread across 57 countries around the world.
- They have customized servers for all purposes. For example, they have Ultra-Fast TV servers optimized for video streaming in that they provide very high speeds.
- This network provides users with a large number of both shared IP’s and dedicated IP’s.
Logs Policy
- NordVPN have a very strict zero-logs policy and they are extremely commited to that.
- They are located outside of the EU and US jurisdictions, which means they are not bound by any data retention laws.
NordVPN’s main goal was to provide a free, private and secure internet experience for it users, which they believe is the least of their rights. With hard work, commitment, and dedication they have made a large name for themselves in the VPN world and are definitely a reliable option among VPNs for Russia.
Conclusion
It is undeniable that there is a great war all over the world against internet privacy and due to VPN providers, the enemy stands weak. We have seen many battles being lost by anti-privacy parties and now another loss in Russia. We owe this victory to these VPNs for Russia.
