Russia Is Deploying a Network of Total Surveillance: From the Subway to Bank Correspondence

Russia is rapidly expanding its digital surveillance infrastructure, intensifying control over its citizens’ physical and online lives. This pervasive system, often justified under the guise of security, is seen by many as establishing a “digital Gulag” – a mechanism for total societal control.

Key Developments in Surveillance:

• Moscow Metro Facial Recognition: The Moscow Metro is integrating next-generation turnstiles equipped with facial recognition technology for biometric payments and passenger identification. Over 4,500 such systems are projected to be installed by 2031.
• Highway Camera Networks: More than 1,500 “smart” cameras with recognition capabilities have already been deployed on major Moscow highways, with further expansion planned.
• Regional Expansion: Surveillance systems are spreading across the country. Voronezh, for example, will implement a 57-million-ruble system by 2025 to track crime and “extremism” suspects. The number of regions utilizing these technologies is expected to jump from 14 in 2020 to at least 68 by September 2025.
• Massive Camera Rollout: Russia currently operates over a million surveillance cameras, with one-third featuring facial recognition. The government aims to increase this to five million by 2030, investing approximately 12 billion rubles.
• Internet Control: Authorities are tightening their grip on the online sphere. Roskomnadzor’s main radio frequency center is acquiring advanced “technical means to counter threats” – devices mandated for telecom operators under the “sovereign Runet” law. These filters will enable more precise blocking, increased scrutiny of private communications, and enhanced tracking of individuals searching for “extremist material.”
• FSB Access to Banking Communications: A new order mandates credit institutions to implement operational and investigative measures, granting special services access to analyze customer correspondence, including voice messages, video recordings, and other user content. Banks are required to store this data by 2027.