It never ceases to astonish me how few people in Russia (and, indeed, worldwide) take advantage of VPNs. That said, the dual blockade imposed by Western tech companies and governments, as well as Russia's own Roskomnadzor, has nudged a large number of people towards adopting these privacy-preserving tools. Apparently, the tipping point for many was the blocking of popular social media apps like Facebook and Instagram.

The fact that censorship is a destructive and dangerous practice doesn't appear to be entirely grasped by the majority. However, a silver lining has emerged: more people are now able to access information beyond the confines of local propaganda.