How to download HorizonVPN from Russia
If the Russian App Store does not show VPN apps, temporarily change your Apple Account country, install HorizonVPN from its official listing, then switch the account back to Russia.
Clear anything that blocks a country change
Spend any Apple Account balance, cancel subscriptions that block the change and wait for them to end, and let pre-orders, rentals, refunds, or other pending activity finish. You may also need to leave Family Sharing.
Open Country/Region on your iPhone
Open Settings, tap your name, tap Media & Purchases, sign in if asked, then tap Country/Region and choose the option to change it.
Choose a storefront where HorizonVPN is listed
Choose United States, where the official HorizonVPN listing is confirmed, review the terms, and enter a valid payment method and billing address if Apple asks for them. Do not enter false account information.
Install the official HorizonVPN app
Open the official listing below, confirm the developer is Horizon Trading Solutions Ltd, tap Get, and wait until installation finishes. Never install an unknown IPA or sign in to an Apple Account offered by a stranger.
Change the storefront back to Russia
Repeat the same Settings path, choose Russia, and complete any information Apple requests. Changing back does not remove the installed app, so keep HorizonVPN on the device; future updates or re-downloads can depend on storefront availability.
Keep your account secure: never share your Apple Account password or verification code, never use a seller's shared account, and never install HorizonVPN from an unofficial package. If Apple will not let you change country, resolve the balance, subscription, pending-activity, or Family Sharing issue with Apple Support instead of entering false details.
How Russia's Internet
Got Dismantled — Year by Year
It didn't happen overnight. A decade of quiet laws, then a wall built in 48 hours.
Your Friends Are Still
Posting. You Can't
Even Open the App.
In March 2022, within 72 hours, Russia blocked Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 37 million Instagram users in Russia lost access to friends, businesses, and livelihoods overnight. No warning. No appeal.
YouTube wasn't blocked — instead it was throttled to 40kbps in many regions. Unwatchable on purpose, but deniable. A bandwidth choke instead of a hard block.
Under Article 20.3.3, sharing or even liking a post that "discredits" the military is a criminal offense. Thousands have been prosecuted using screenshots from Instagram and VKontakte.
Your ISP Is Legally
Required to Spy on You
SORM (System of Operative Search Measures) is not optional for Russian ISPs. Every ISP must install FSB-provided hardware that captures and forwards a full copy of all traffic — emails, messages, browsing, calls. No warrant. No notification.
The Yarovaya Law (2016) extended this: ISPs now store your metadata for 3 years and message content for 6 months. With the 2019 Sovereign Internet Law, all traffic flows through DPI nodes that can identify VPN protocols by fingerprint.
Russia Built Three Systems
to Control the Internet
Surveillance. Blocking. Prosecution. Each one is a federal law. Together they form a machine designed to make you afraid to browse freely.
Questions about internet access in Russia
What does this page cover?
This page summarizes platform restrictions, network monitoring, and laws affecting online activity in Russia.
Why do some sites load slowly or not at all?
Network filtering and throttling can vary by provider, region, and time. A service's availability may change.
What does VPN encryption do?
A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and its server. It does not make you anonymous; accounts and other information can still identify you.