In short
- A VPN encrypts all traffic from the device to the VPN server.
- Websites see the server's IP and country, not your IP and city.
- Your provider sees a connection to the VPN server, but not the websites you open.
- A VPN doesn't hide you from services you're signed in to with your own account.
- There is no law in Russia that prohibits citizens from using a VPN.
How a VPN works
Without a VPN, a request to a website goes from your device to your provider, and the provider passes it on. The provider sees where you're going; the website sees your IP.
With a VPN, the path changes:
- Device. The VPN app encrypts traffic before it leaves the phone or computer.
- Encrypted channel. Traffic passes through the provider or Wi-Fi network encrypted. To them it's a stream of data to a single address — the VPN server.
- VPN server. The server decrypts the traffic and sends the request to the website in its own name.
- Website. The website receives the request from the server's IP and replies to the server. The reply comes back to you over the same encrypted channel.
A VPN comes down to two actions: encrypting the channel and replacing the IP. Everything a VPN hides follows from them.
What a VPN hides
| Who | What they see without a VPN | What they see with a VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Which websites you open, when, and how much traffic you send | A connection to the VPN server, the time and the amount of traffic |
| Wi-Fi owner | The same as the provider | A connection to the VPN server |
| Websites | Your IP, city and provider | The VPN server's IP and country |
From your provider: which websites you open
Without a VPN, your provider sees the address of every website you open. The address goes out in the DNS request and when the HTTPS connection is set up: HTTPS encrypts the page content, but not the website name. The provider knows whose name the contract is in, so the history of websites is tied to you.
With a VPN, the provider sees only the connection to the VPN server, the time and the amount of traffic.
From websites: your IP and city
Without a VPN, a website sees your IP. From it the website works out your city and provider, and the provider knows from that same IP whose name the contract is in. What exactly an IP reveals is covered in What websites can learn from your IP address; check your own address with the Check my IP tool.
With a VPN, the website sees the VPN server's IP and country.
On public Wi-Fi: your traffic from the network owner and neighbours
In a café, hotel or airport, the network owner sees the same as a provider: which websites you open. On an open network with no password, traffic travels over the air unencrypted: website addresses — and pages without HTTPS in full — are available to any device nearby. Anyone can create a network with the café's name, and on a fake network all traffic goes through its owner's device.
With a VPN, both the network owner and the neighbours see an encrypted stream to the VPN server. More in How safe is public Wi-Fi.
What a VPN doesn't hide
A VPN changes the network path of your traffic. Anything a website learns about you in other ways stays available to it:
- Signing in to accounts. In email, social networks and search you identify yourself — with your login. The service sees your account, history and actions from any IP.
- Cookies. Cookies are stored in the browser and link a new visit to earlier ones. Turning on a VPN doesn't delete them.
- Browser fingerprint. Browser version, language, time zone, screen resolution and graphics card add up to an identifier that doesn't depend on your IP. Check yours with the Browser Fingerprint tool.
- Data you enter yourself. Your name, phone, delivery address and card number reach the website with or without a VPN. On a fake page, a VPN doesn't stop you from typing your password.
- Leaks. WebRTC in the browser and DNS requests outside the tunnel reveal your real IP if the VPN app doesn't block them. Check your connection with the Leak Test.
Who sees your traffic when you use a VPN
The VPN service takes the provider's place. The service sees your real IP, connection times and the addresses of the websites you open. HTTPS still covers the page content.
So your choice of service decides where your history ends up. Check three things: whether the service keeps logs, whose DNS servers it uses and how it pays for itself. Someone pays for a free VPN — if not you, then your data. More in The risks of free VPNs.
Is it legal to use a VPN in Russia
As of September 2026:
- There is no law prohibiting citizens from using a VPN. There is no fine for the mere fact of using a VPN.
- Since September 1, 2025, Article 13.53 of the Code of Administrative Offences has been in force: a fine of 3,000 to 5,000 ₽ for deliberately searching for materials on the federal list of extremist materials.
- Since the same date, advertising VPN services is fined: 50,000 to 80,000 ₽ for individuals.
- RKN blocks VPN services themselves: by March 2026 access to 469 services had been restricted.
- The Ministry of Digital Development discussed liability for using a VPN for “unlawful purposes”. No such law exists.
How MaskNet protects you
MaskNet encrypts traffic from the device to the server. DNS requests are handled by MaskNet's own DNS servers. We don't keep logs: MaskNet doesn't store which websites you open. Smart routing sends the traffic of Russian services — Gosuslugi, banks, marketplaces — outside the VPN tunnel: they see your Russian IP, and there's no need to turn MaskNet off.
Frequently asked questions
What does a VPN do?
It encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN service's server and replaces your IP with the server's address. Your provider doesn't see which websites you open; websites don't see your real IP and city.
What is the point of a VPN?
Two actions: an encrypted channel to the server and a replaced IP. The provider and the Wi-Fi owner see only a stream of data to the VPN server; websites see only the server's IP.
Can I use a VPN in Russia?
As of September 2026 there is no law prohibiting citizens from using a VPN, and no fine for the mere fact of using one. Since September 1, 2025, there is a fine of 3,000 to 5,000 ₽ for deliberately searching for materials on the federal list of extremist materials, and a fine for advertising VPN services.
Is there a fine for using a VPN?
There is no fine for the mere fact of using a VPN. Fines apply to advertising VPN services — 50,000 to 80,000 ₽ for individuals — and, under Article 13.53 of the Code of Administrative Offences, to deliberately searching for materials on the federal list of extremist materials — 3,000 to 5,000 ₽.
Does my provider see which websites I open through a VPN?
No. The provider sees a connection to the VPN server, the time and the amount of traffic. Website addresses and page content travel inside the encrypted channel.
What does the VPN service see?
Your real IP, connection times and the addresses of the websites you open. HTTPS covers the page content. That's why it matters whether the service keeps logs and how it pays for itself.