Katarina Stepinenko, a Russian analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, sheds light on Putin's vision for a tightly controlled internet in Russia, masked by claims of security. She discusses the contrasting digital landscapes of Russia and China, the regime's attempts to control dissent during the Ukraine conflict, and the evolution of media regulation. Additionally, Stepinenko highlights the dire state of digital freedoms, the implementation of state-controlled messaging, and ongoing cybersecurity threats, painting a grim picture of life in a censored digital world.
