An article on Bruce Schneier’s blog <https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2018/04/russia_is_banni.html> about the block elicited this comment <https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2018/04/russia_is_banni.html#c6774180> from reader “lattenwald”: So, Telegram ban here in Russia works in a strange way: nothing works but Telegram. My heart rate app doesn't work (syncs history with some cloud probably), Whatsapp is crippled (doesn't back up or restore history to/from google drive), video calls in Viber not working. Site where one could pay road fines didn't work for some time, tickets to Kremlin museum weren't sold for almost a day, cash registers in Diksi — one of the largest grocery store networks in Russia — didn't work for almost a day, Decathlon site doesn't work, giphy, ticktick, — my day routine is broken if not for VPN. I did never think I would need VPN. ... The only thing that works that I use daily, without VPN or proxies, is Telegram. The question is, is this proving to be a gigantic fiasco for regulator Roskomnadzor and Putin’s administration generally, or is it really just part of their cunning plan?