Does Proton VPN work in Russia?

As of Jul 22, 2026, Proton VPN is partially working in Russia.

Status: degraded
Confidence: low
Last verified: Jul 22, 2026
Method: WireGuard and OpenVPN blocked at DPI level nationwide since Feb 2026; only Stealth plus Alternative Routing has any chance and server IPs are also blocked, so repeated attempts are needed; site and app-store downloads unreachable from Russia, so this only helps users who installed and paid before

Working alternatives in Russia

No VPN is currently verified as working in Russia. We would rather say that than guess. Check back after the next weekly verification pass.

Set on Proton VPN? It is partially working in Russia right now. Check the method notes above before you buy. Get Proton VPN

What we're seeing

Russia blocked WireGuard and OpenVPN at the DPI level nationwide in February 2026, and OONI shows blocking of protonvpn.com worsening from mid-June with confirmed blocks peaking July 20. Against that, Proton's general manager said in 2026 press that the service still works for many users via Stealth protocol, with day-to-day variability and retries needed because server IPs are also blocked. An ntc.party thread reports the censor now targets the Stealth port for known addresses, so this mostly helps users who installed and paid before entering Russia.

Sources for the above:

user_report (Jul 22, 2026): OONI May 1 to Jul 21 2026: 6,731 measurements, 4,566 anomalies, 393 confirmed blocks vs 1,249 ok; confirmed blocks rise sharply from mid-June, peaking Jul 20; website not tunnel
news (Jul 22, 2026): TechRadar 2026 (snippet-observed): press calls major VPNs effectively non-functional while Proton GM David Peterson says the service still works for many via Stealth with day-to-day variability; server IPs blocked, retries needed
news (Jul 22, 2026): SecurityLab May 19 2026 (background): SOCKS5/VLESS/L2TP blocked Dec 2025; WireGuard and OpenVPN blocked completely Feb 2026; 469 VPN services blocked by late Feb; obfuscated protocols work with variable success, changing weekly
forum (Jul 22, 2026): ntc.party ProtonVPN blocking thread (snippet-observed, undated): censor optimized to block the Stealth port for known addresses; corroborates that Stealth is specifically targeted

Common questions

Is using a VPN legal in Russia?

Personal use is not banned, but a law passed in July 2025 fines advertising VPNs up to 500,000 rubles and treats VPN use as an aggravating factor in other offenses. The state also blocks VPN services that refuse to censor.

Which VPNs still work in Russia?

As of July 2026, none is verified fully working. Mullvad documents a partial path with QUIC or Shadowsocks, and Proton says Stealth connects for many, though forum reports say it is targeted. Seven of the ten we track are blocked.

Can I pay for a VPN from Russia?

It is hard. Visa and Mastercard stopped working for foreign payments in 2022, and several providers limit Russian accounts. Where a provider accepts them, vouchers or cryptocurrency are the practical routes.