Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the Russian government is intentionally restricting access to social media and preparing for widespread internet blackouts to prevent mass riots ahead of highly unpopular decisions. As reported by Ukrainska Pravda, during a televised national telethon interview, the Head of State outlined that the Kremlin is preparing the domestic information space for one of two radical military scenarios. “Plan A” involves a massive wave of general mobilization aimed at launching a major, renewed offensive against Ukraine. “Plan B,” however, entails a sudden, localized attack on one of the Baltic states.
According to Zelensky, the clampdown on the digital sphere is not primarily about protecting Vladimir Putin from political criticism. “The restriction of access to social networks in the Russian Federation is not about limiting criticism of the head of state, but, in my opinion, serves a deeper task — to ensure there are no riots,” he explained. The primary trigger for potential uprisings would be a full-scale mobilization that, unlike previous covert drafts, would directly target the central, more affluent cities. Recruiting heavily from Moscow and St. Petersburg means that casualties would directly impact the political and economic heart of the country, forcing the Kremlin to implement extreme censorship to hide the soaring death toll from its citizens.
To lay the groundwork for this, Russian authorities have recently urged citizens to prepare for permanent internet disconnections, essentially lowering a digital iron curtain. This drastic suppression of free information has already caused immense collateral damage in the global tech world. Pavel Durov, the owner of the Telegram messaging app, has reportedly lost two-thirds of his fortune due to a severe plunge in the platform’s value. This crash was largely driven by sweeping bans of Telegram in key authoritarian markets, most notably Russia and Iran, which are fiercely cracking down on independent communication channels.
If the Kremlin deems the political cost of a massive mobilization too dangerous, Zelensky warned that Russia might resort to an alternative strategy. “Plan B” aims to achieve a geopolitical shock with significantly fewer resources. “To minimize costs and effort, they could launch a parallel, smaller offensive in a direction where a smaller military force is sufficient,” the President added. He pinpointed the Baltic states as the most likely targets, suggesting that Moscow believes these NATO members might be unprepared for a sudden, intense confrontation.
A strike against the Baltics would serve as the ultimate test of NATO’s Article 5 and collective defense mechanisms. By signaling these threats, Zelensky underscores the critical need for absolute Western solidarity and robust military support for Ukraine. The continuous supply of advanced weaponry and the maintenance of strict economic sanctions against Russia remain the only viable strategies to cripple Moscow’s war machine. Any hesitation or easing of the financial blockade would grant the Kremlin the resources needed to execute either of its dangerous military plans, thereby dragging the rest of Europe into a wider, devastating conflict.