Russia’s 16KB Curtain: Cloudflare Throttling and the Future of the RuNet
Russia has entered a new phase of digital authoritarianism. In a sweeping move, Russian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have begun systematically throttling access to Cloudflare and other Western-backed services, including infrastructure giants Hetzner and DigitalOcean. This throttling is so severe that it restricts downloads to just 16 kilobytes per connection—effectively rendering affected websites unusable. It’s a chilling technical development dubbed the “16KB Curtain.”
In this episode, we explore Russia’s strategic effort to isolate its internet from the global web—a campaign known as digital sovereignty. This isn’t just a geopolitical talking point. It’s an active campaign of infrastructure control, information censorship, and aggressive filtering. We examine:
- The mechanics of the 16KB throttle: How it works, what it breaks, and why it’s so effective.
- Cloudflare’s position: The company has confirmed it cannot mitigate the throttling—this is not a technical glitch, it’s a political weapon.
- The broader pattern: Throttling is only part of a sweeping campaign to restrict VPNs, disrupt anti-censorship tools like Psiphon, and elevate domestic tech over foreign services.
But this isn't just about website access. It’s about the future of RuNet—a Russian internet fenced off from global influence. The Kremlin’s vision includes a national DNS system, deep packet inspection at scale, and mandates for domestic apps and cloud infrastructure. Yet, behind this ambition lies a critical weakness: Russia’s ongoing dependence on Western and Chinese technologies, from chips to software.
We also unpack:
- The expansion of mobile internet blackouts across over 30 regions—even those far from conflict zones.
- The illusion of self-sufficiency: Despite homegrown efforts in CPUs and software, Russia still lacks foundational capabilities in 5G, storage, and OS development.
- Impact on Russian citizens and international companies: Users are increasingly isolated. Businesses are forced to exit or adapt to a tech landscape dictated by the state.
In a world where censorship increasingly masquerades as cybersecurity, Russia is pioneering an extreme model of network control—one that may be replicated elsewhere. Whether you work in global IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, or international policy, this episode reveals the high-stakes intersection of technology, politics, and freedom of information.