How to Unblock Google Services in Russia
Another unfortunate news in the tech world for Russia is that the government could block Google services from the country. Since the government wants to protect users’ data and does not want to be outside Russia. And Google stores user data not in Russia, which gives the government the reason for blocking the Google services. And yes, this blog will help you whether you live in Russia or are going to the country, then you will Unblock Google Russia. Moreover, a VPN for Google services in Russia will bypass the restrictions for you.
While working in Russia as a foreign person, your productivity may get compromised due to slowdowns in the Google services. To use them without slowdowns, use iProVPN for your business
Are Google Services going to be blocked in Russia?
There is a risk of a complete ban of Google services in Russia, Google services are still working; however, some services are facing slowdowns. Here is what Russians using Google services are facing.
Google Meet: Used for meetings and facing irregular disruptions, which cause trouble during the meetings.
Payments/ Verifications: Users are facing issues while getting the OTP on phones and making app purchases from the App or Google Play Store.
Monetization Services: There are no Ads Google is offering to Russians, and people using Google AdSense can’t earn from this service.
Google Search Throttle: There is a slowdown in the results of Google search; moreover, YouTube is also facing a slowdown, and users are encountering lag.
Cloud and Business: There are limitations on the features, if not entirely blocked by the Russian government.
Is Gmail Blocked in Russia?
The simple answer is “NO”, Gmail isn’t completely blocked in Russia; however, there are frequent slowdowns that you may encounter. You will see that emails will take time reaching the destination or while being received. Moreover, you will also face load-time issues.
What’s with Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Calendar?
Google Drive, Docs, and Calendar aren’t blocked completely in Russia, and are facing internet throttling.
Reason for Google Censorship in Russia: Google Services?
For the following reasons, there is Google censorship in Russia:
Data Storing: Google stores users’ data on different servers that are placed in different regions. And the Russian government isn’t comfortable with Google’s policies.
Security Risks: Users’ data is not secured as per the Russian government, as Google stores data outside Russia. And it’s a security risk considering the ongoing situation of the country.
Financial Issues: Google can earn more revenue by getting users’ data and using it for marketing and others. Russia wants to keep the data within the country to use it for its own economy.
Controlling the Internet: Russia has its own internet policies and needs to have control within the country only.
Alternatives to Google Services used in Russia
Here is a list of useful Google Services Alternatives that are used in Russia:
1) Yandex
It’s an alternative to Google search Engine, and has the same features as Google; you can search for images and different websites. All the details are in the Russian language; moreover, it has become quite popular in Russia and is a great platform to search for local news.
Key Features
- Stores users’ data within Russia.
- Content in the Russian language.
- Relevant content quickly reaches the audience.
2) Yandex (Email)
If you are facing slowdowns in Gmail in Russia, then try using Yandex’s email, which is a reliable option for Russians and likely has similar features to Gmail. It is easier to use and offers a large storage space; it also has a paid version.
Key Features
- Works well on all devices.
- It has more advanced spam prevention.
- Includes productivity tools like an email scheduler.
3). RuStore
Due to the censorship of Google services in Russia, you won’t be able to access the Google Play Store in the country. However, there’s a local alternative for it, which is RuStore; all the local applications you can find here are seamless.
Key Features
- Millions of people use RuStore.
- More than 50 thousand apps available.
- Easy, within-app payments for the subscriptions.
Also Read: Change Country in Google Play Store
4). RuTube
If you are looking to unblock Google Russia services, specifically to use YouTube smoothly, you can use RuTube. Users can share their own created content, which follows the guidelines of the Russian government.
Key Features
- Wide options for different content.
- Easy use and easy uploading of content.
- You can also access it on your Smart TV.
5) Yandex Maps
Google censorship in Russia is also causing a slowdown in Google Maps. Results to this slowdown, people face issues reaching their destinations. Since Yandex is one of the major platforms in Russia, you can navigate the real-time traffic and track your bus.
Key Features
- Download the map and access it offline.
- Get real-time warnings of speed and road situation.
- The voice assistant of Alice provides the instructions.
Comparison of Yandex 360 vs Google Workspace
Feature |
Google Workspace |
Yandex 360 |
| Gmail and Google Business are also integrated with Google tools. | Yandex mail have the spam prevention and have the built in tools. | |
| Cloud Storage | Offers different store plans, starting from 30GB per user to plus plan of 5TB per user. | Yandex offers 10GB storage for the free plan to 3TB and more storage for paid plans. |
| Video Calls | Google Meets is there for audio/video calls, and an easy screen. | There is “Telemost” for audio/video calling, and it can work with mail and Docs. |
| Notes | Has Google Keep to take notes. | Have Yandex Notes to create and save notes. |
| Advertisements | Paid plans do not have Ads. | Yandex paid plans do not have Ads. |
| Security | User data is stored in different servers, located around the world. | All user data is stored within Russia. |
iProVPN – The VPN for Google Services Russia
Google Services can be completely blocked in Russia, but still, they work and face frequent slowdowns, takes email time to reach the receiver. This makes things less productive for the Russians, and the people who came to Russia for studies and jobs can unblock Google Russia by using the VPN for Google Services Russia.
One of the VPN services you can get in affordable price is the iProVPN. Here is how you can connect this reliable VPN to your devices:
Steps to connect to iProVPN
- Go to the iProVPN website.
- Then, from the pricing page, get the subscription.
- Pay for the subscription from credit or debit card.
- Install the iProVPN app and connect with the VPN server of another country, like the USA, Australia, or others.
- Now unblock Google Russia services; you can access them without facing slowdowns.
Conclusion to Unblock Google Russia
Russia, because of the war situation with Ukraine, the government warned that Google services can be totally blocked in Russia. Since the user’s data is stored outside Russia, which is risky for the country, they want all data to be stored within Russia only. Currently, services are there but face a slowdown that impacts the productivity of users. Moreover, people use VPN for Google services in Russia to unblock Google Russia so services can work efficiently and smoothly for work access to Gmail Russia without trouble. Use the best iProVPN, which is easier to connect to on all devices.
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How to Unblock Google Russia Services
- Can I access Gmail Russia?
Yes, you can access Gmail in Russia, as it’s not blocked, but it faces slowdowns that can be a major wall in professional communication.
- Are there alternatives to Google services in Russia?
Yes, there are multiple alternatives that you can use in Russia for all Google services. Like for Google Chrome, you can use Yandex for Google Maps, use Yandex Maps, and instead of YouTube, use RuTube in Russia.
- Is Facebook available in Russia?
No, Facebook is not accessible in Russia, blocked by the government. Moreover, as an alternative to Facebook, use “VKontakte”.
- Is Yandex better than Google?
To get broader search results from the world, Google can be the right choice. However, in Russia, Google does not work very effectively, so Yandex is the option.
- Can I use the iProVPN to access Google services?
Yes, it’s a great option to use iProVPN when accessing Google services in Russia, since it prevents all slowdowns on the platform.
