[87923] Russia toughens digital oversight: IMEI registration for all phones and war on terrorists

Tightening digital oversight and cyber fraud

The Federation Council in Russia has approved a significant reform in the communications market, which includes the establishment of a national database of IMEI numbers for all mobile devices. According to reports from Readovka and КОНТЕКСТ, devices will be required to be registered, and the activation of a SIM card will be conditional on a permanent link to the device's IMEI number. The law's objective is to combat telephone fraud and gray-market imports, with claims emerging on social media from users calling this "digital access without anonymity." However, a source in the Russian government cited in Раньше всех. Ну почти. dismissed claims that phones not registered would turn into a "brick" without connectivity as "fake," and noted that the exact regulations will be determined in future subsidiary decrees.

As part of the "Anti-Fraud 2.0" package, ТАСС reported on new limitations: ownership of up to 20 bank cards per person, the option to block international calls, and a "panic button" on the government portal (Gosuslugi) for reporting fraud. Sources at Readovka noted that the number of cybercrimes in Russia has decreased by 31.2% since the beginning of the year, but the government aims to continue and reduce the threat.

Thwarting terrorist attacks and fighting sabotage

The Federal Security Service (FSB) reported the thwarting of a series of planned terrorist attacks in three regions: Adygea, Tyumen Oblast, and Krasnodar. According to РИА Новости, three suspects acting under the guidance of "Ukrainian intelligence agencies" were arrested while in possession of foreign-made explosives. The suspects planned to harm military personnel and energy infrastructure facilities. Kotsnews added that "bidrones" – minors recruited via the internet to carry out terrorist attacks – are a worrying phenomenon, and noted a case of a 16-year-old minor sentenced to 7 years in prison after attempting to place an explosive device under a military vehicle.

Security and regional events

Simultaneously, an attack was reported against a bus carrying children from Belarus in the Bryansk region. According to Следком, the Russian Investigative Committee opened an investigation for a "terrorist act" following a drone strike on a vehicle transporting a children's football team. Conversely, Ukrainian Telegram channels such as Информатор Украина report on internal strife within the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, including reports of the arrest of the administrator of the "Truxa" channel on charges of exposing corruption in military procurement.