Russia Plans Ban on Calls from “Unfriendly Countries”: 47 States on the List

Russia is considering introducing a ban on phone calls from so-called “unfriendly countries.” This was stated by Vladimir Putin, who noted that the initiative is aimed at strengthening the fight against phone scams, a significant portion of which, according to authorities, originates from abroad.

The country already has several protective measures in place: suspicious international calls are automatically blocked, foreign numbers are flagged, and banks and telecom operators face stricter requirements for handling citizen inquiries.

As of today, the list of “unfriendly” countries includes 47 states, for which additional restrictions on phone traffic may be imposed. The list includes Australia, Albania, Andorra, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom (including crown dependencies and overseas territories), as well as European Union countries—from Austria and Belgium to Sweden and Estonia. Other countries deemed “unfriendly” include Iceland, Canada, Liechtenstein, Micronesia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, San Marino, North Macedonia, Singapore, the United States (including the U.S. Virgin Islands), Taiwan, Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, and Japan.