Lumen, a major global internet backbone provider, has announced that it will suspend its operations in Russia.
Following Russia’s internationally condemned invasion of Ukraine and reports of serious violations now under investigation, the country has become increasingly isolated. Many global companies and service providers have already limited or halted business there, and Lumen’s exit adds to that trend.
The company said its services touch nearly every part of modern life and that recent developments in Russia mean it can no longer continue to operate in that market. Lumen also stated that it has terminated a contract with an existing Russian financial institution and withdrawn from consideration for new business opportunities in the country.
Lumen’s withdrawal follows a similar move by Cogent, one of the world’s largest ISPs, which also decided to pull out of Russia. Industry analysts have noted that Lumen is already a leading international transit provider to Russian networks—counting major providers and mobile operators among its customers—and its decision will reshape regional traffic flows.
Analysts observed that Lumen serves large Russian network operators and mobile carriers, and that with Cogent’s exit, Lumen could carry increased transit traffic even while avoiding new Russian customers.
The departures of major internet providers raise concerns about limiting Russians’ access to independent information, leaving users more reliant on state-controlled media narratives about the conflict and its consequences.
Recently, two Ukrainian officials petitioned ICANN and the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) to revoke Russia’s top-level domains (including “.ru”, “.рф”, and “.su”) and to shut down DNS root servers located in the Russian Federation. Their argument was that such steps would steer users toward alternative domain zones and reduce the spread of propaganda and disinformation.
ICANN’s CEO responded by emphasizing the internet’s decentralized nature: no single actor can control or shut down the global network. He noted that ICANN’s mission does not include imposing punitive measures, issuing sanctions, or restricting segments of the internet.
(Photo by Michael Parulava on Unsplash)
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