Russian President Vladimir Putin has cut off mobile internet access at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) over fears that the event could be targeted by drones, according to local journalists.
Just hours before the Russian president is expected to arrive at the forum to give his keynote speech on Friday, organisers said mobile internet access would be disrupted at the venue "due to technical work". The Faridaily project, run by Russian journalists Maxim Tovkailo and Farida Rustamova, said the measure was part of security measures to ensure that drones would not attack the building. Putin's keynote speech was scheduled for Friday afternoon local time.
The SPIEF forum has been held annually in St. Petersburg since 1997, usually attracting thousands of participants from around the world. This year, against the backdrop of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the 26th edition of the forum was snubbed by both Western and Russian companies. The organizers failed to attract major political figures. Participants include low-ranking officials from regions that have remained largely neutral on the conflict.
Faridaily quoted a SPIEF participant and a telecommunications official with knowledge of the issue as saying that mobile internet access was blocked due to security concerns for the Russian president. The project added that similar measures were taken during an event attended by Putin in the Russian city of Sochi from June 7-9.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Of course, both security measures and digital security measures are being strengthened quite significantly, we could even say that they are unprecedented," Peskov said. "The enemy is acting brazenly and does not miss any opportunity to cause damage." He added: "Just use Wi-Fi and everything will be fine."
Russia has been hit by a wave of drone attacks in recent weeks, including in the capital Moscow and the Kursk and Bryansk regions. These are near the border with Ukraine and Smolensk, in western Russia. On 3 May, the Russian government's press service accused Ukraine of shooting down two drones at Putin's Kremlin residence in Moscow. It added that the alleged attack was "a planned act of terrorism" and an attempt on Putin's life. Ukraine has denied any involvement in strikes inside Russia.
Wall of Chechen commandos on the Russian border
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said he has deployed the Akhmat battalion in border areas in the Belgorod region in fear of raids from Russian territory. The move is likely part of an "ongoing effort to align with the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD)," the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said in its latest analysis of the conflict in Ukraine.
Two Russian rebel groups - the Russian Freedom Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) - entered Belgorod in early June and intense fighting has continued since then. The Legion is made up of defectors from the Russian armed forces and Russian and Belarusian volunteers, while the RVC says its members include Russians fighting on the side of Ukraine and against the Kremlin regime.
In recent months, bombing attacks and drone strikes have increased tensions in the Belgorod region bordering Ukraine. Russia has blamed Ukrainian forces for the attacks. The latest raids have been described as some of the largest within Russian territory since the war began last February.
Kadyrov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed on June 15 that the Chechen Akhmat battalion arrived at the border checkpoints of Nekhoteyevka and Kozinka in the Belgorod region with orders to protect the border from raids on Russian territory. The Chechen leader stressed that his fighters will work together with Russian forces to defend the region and residents of other border areas.
"Kadyrov likely aims to position himself and Chechen forces as cooperating with the Defense Ministry, in direct contrast to Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin, who previously threatened to deploy Wagner forces in Belgorod region without permission from the Russian Defense Ministry or the Russian military command," ISW said.
The think tank said that Kadyrov has also taken advantage of frequent Russian intelligence discourse on the Belgorod region to "position himself as an effective and cooperative military leader without having to commit all Chechen forces to an offensive or defensive effort."
Kadyrov's announcement came shortly after Russian soldiers fighting against rebel groups complained that "entire regiments" were being wiped out. "We are under constant bombardment, officers, ordinary soldiers and above all people who have families and all their relatives back home are being killed," a Russian regiment fighting near the border town of Sebekino in Belgorod said in a message on the Telegram channel of Pskov province published on June 6.
Russian soldiers said poor leadership and a lack of reinforcements and equipment were to blame for the high number of casualties. "We are ready to defend our homeland, but with proper supplies," the unit said. "And being captured without weapons or without the ability to fight back is not defending the homeland. On behalf of the 1009th Regiment, we ask you to consider this serious problem and make decisions as soon as possible."
Kadyrov said on June 4 that "the terrorists who entered the Belgorod region could be countered by Chechen units."
