Russia Restricts Dating App Use Amid Security Concerns in Border Regions

In response to growing security concerns related to its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, Russia has issued a directive urging residents and military personnel in its border regions to cease using dating apps and limit social media activity. This move aims to curb potential intelligence-gathering by Ukrainian forces as they advance into the Kursk region.

On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Interior issued a stern warning to residents of Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod regions, as well as to military and police personnel stationed there. The ministry’s message, delivered via its official Telegram channel, emphasized the risks associated with online dating services and urged citizens to be cautious about streaming videos from sensitive locations.

The ministry’s advisory highlighted the threat posed by Ukrainian troops who, according to the statement, are actively utilizing digital resources for intelligence purposes. They advised against opening hyperlinks from unknown sources and discouraged streaming videos from areas where military vehicles might be present. Additionally, citizens were warned that Ukrainian forces have been exploiting unprotected CCTV cameras to monitor private yards and crucial roads.

In a bid to enhance security, the ministry recommended that troops and police officers disable geo-tagging features on their social media accounts. This precaution is intended to prevent the enemy from using real-time location tags to track military and security personnel.

The urgency of these measures is underscored by the ongoing Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region, which has seen significant territorial gains. Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had penetrated up to 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) into Russian defenses since the start of their recent assault. They have also captured 93 settlements in the process.

The conflict has led to the evacuation of more than 121,000 residents from Kursk, as confirmed by Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations. Ukrainian operations have also extended to the Bryansk and Belgorod regions, heightening the need for stringent security measures.

The potential security risks associated with social media and apps are not merely theoretical. Historical instances highlight how soldiers’ use of mobile devices has inadvertently compromised sensitive information. For example, the United States and its intelligence allies, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, warned last year that Russian military hackers were targeting Ukrainian soldiers’ mobile devices to gather battlefield intelligence.

A notable case involved the death of high-profile Russian submarine commander Stanislav Rzhitsky, who was killed while jogging in 2023. Reports suggested that his assailant may have tracked him using Strava, a popular fitness app where Rzhitsky had publicly shared his jogging routes.

Furthermore, after a Ukrainian strike killed nearly 100 Russian troops in Makiivka on New Year’s Day last year, Russia’s defense ministry attributed the incident largely to the extensive use of cell phones by Russian soldiers, though this assessment faced some scrutiny.

In response to these vulnerabilities, Russian state media TASS reported last month that the country’s lower house of parliament is considering legislation to penalize Russian soldiers caught using smartphones in combat zones. Proposed penalties include up to 10 days’ imprisonment for first offenses and up to 15 days for multiple infractions. The law would also ban the use of electronic devices capable of recording or transmitting video and audio, or sharing geolocation data.

The issue of geolocation and security is not confined to Russia. In 2018, the US Department of Defense implemented a ban on military personnel using geolocation features following the revelation that apps like Strava were inadvertently exposing the locations of military bases globally. Strava’s interactive heat map, which showcased a billion data points from user activities, had revealed sensitive locations, prompting the DoD to take preventive action.

As the conflict continues and security concerns mount, the restrictions on dating apps and social media use highlight the increasing importance of safeguarding digital information in modern warfare.