How to Use Instagram in Russia: Step-by-Step Guide (2024) (2024)

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How to Access Instagram in Russia: Quick Guide

Russia’s far-reaching censorship policies include a ban on Instagram. Fortunately, you can still use Instagram in Russia if you get a VPN!

The bad news is Russia only allows state-approved VPNs to advertise in the country. As such, you may find yourself stuck with a sanctioned VPN service with poor security, leaving you open to government tracking.

Want to access Instagram in Russia securely? We’ve picked a secure, no-log VPN that won’t risk your privacy:

Go to the Surfshark’s website and choose your preferred plan. Surfshark is our top VPN for accessing Instagram in Russia because of its robust unblocking capabilities.
Download the Surfshark app onto your device.
Log into your new account.
Connect to a Surfshark server outside of Russia.
Head over to Instagram and enjoy!

Surfshark has 3200+ servers worldwide, so you’ll easily find one that will not only give you great speeds but also allow you to access Instagram.

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For full instructions on how to use Instagram in Russia on any device, read the article below! With the Roskomnadzor ban on VPN advertising, it’s important you’re up to date on the latest restrictions in your country.

Is Instagram blocked in Russia? Yes. Russia’s ban on Instagram soon followed, announced by the Roskomnadzor on March 11, 2022. The reason cited for the ban was Instagram posts encouraging violence against Russian soldiers.

Usually, Russia only blocks accounts from outside the country. However, the Instagram Russia ban blocks all access to the Instagram app. This means an estimated 80 million Russian Instagram users no longer have access to their Instagram accounts or other users’ accounts.

Want to keep using Instagram while in Russia? We have the solution. With a VPN, you can bypass online restrictions and get back to using Instagram in minutes. We’ve tested a handful of VPNs, and Surfshark has proven to unblock Instagram in Russia. With its enhanced encryption features, your true IP and location will remain hidden.

Get Surfshark to Unblock Instagram in Russia Right Now!

How to Access Instagram in Russia

The only way to access Instagram in Russia is through a VPN. With a virtual private network, you can bypass geo-blocks and online restrictions and use your Instagram account freely.

To use Instagram in Russia with a VPN, just follow our quick guide below:

Get a subscription with a VPN. Surfshark is our top choice for unblocking Instagram in Russia. Its NoBorders mode is adept at sidestepping restrictions in even the most heavily censored countries.
See Also
Is Instagram Safe and Private To Use in 2024?Russian Social Media | Social Media Monitoring in Russia Russia: Instagram users 2024 | Statista Can You See Someone’s Location On Instagram? | REVERB
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Download the Surfshark VPN app onto your device.
Log into your Surfshark account.
Connect to a VPN server in another country. To avoid Instagram not working, we recommend choosing a country like the United States or the United Kingdom, where internet freedom is strong. We connected to a US VPN server to unblock Instagram in Russia.
Use Instagram in Russia without restrictions!

We tested Surfshark to use Instagram in Russia, and it worked on both desktop and mobile devices. Right now, you can take 86% off your subscription using our time-limited discount, too!

Access Instagram in Russia Using Surfshark

It’s not just Instagram you can access with a VPN. You can also completely unblock all social media in Russia, including LinkedIn and Facebook.

Why is a VPN Important for Accessing Instagram in Russia?

Russia has a long history of censorship, but events in the past few years have led to the strengthening of the country’s censorship policies.

Specifically, the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 pushed many to upload videos on social media, earning the attention of the Russian government. Russia then criminalized the spreading of “false information about the invasion of Ukraine.“

Thankfully, there’s a way to unblock restricted sites in Russia, such as Instagram. All you need is a working VPN.

A VPN changes your IP address to the VPN server’s IP address. So, if you’re in Russia and you connect to a VPN server in London, it looks like you’re connecting to Instagram from the United Kingdom. By changing your IP address, you can bypass internet censorship, access the platform, and even get unbanned from Instagram.

Note:

Any VPN service approved by the Russian government is likely to be unsafe. The Kremlin can already surveil people’s internet traffic, and citizens have been arrested for voicing anti-war opinions online. To avoid potential risks to your privacy and personal freedom,we strongly recommend choosing a VPN that we’ve tested and confirmed as working in Russia in 2024.

The Best VPNs to Unblock Instagram in Russia

We’ve carefully tested several Instagram VPNs within Russia to check which providers still work. Right now, you can use one of our three best VPNs for Russia to overcome the Russia Instagram ban.

These three services are not considered to be state-approved VPNs. As a result, they are banned from advertising in Russia. However, they are the best choices to bypass Russian censorship right now.

1. Surfshark: Lowest-cost VPN for Russia when you need to access Instagram

How to Use Instagram in Russia: Step-by-Step Guide (2024) (6)

3200+ worldwide servers outside Russia
Low-cost subscriptions that cost less than a cup of coffee
NoBorders mode can unblock websites in even the most restrictive countries
Zero data logging and powerful encryption prevent you and your activity from being tracked online
Sign up with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for complete anonymity

Surfshark is one of the lowest-cost, premium VPN providers we found for unblocking Instagram in Russia. It’s often our go-to VPN service when we need to unblock websites within restrictive countries, which is why it also made our list of the best VPNs for China.

We tested Surfshark from Russia to access Instagram, and it let us use the app on desktop and mobile. While we didn’t encounter problems, the VPN’s network of 3200+ servers means you can try another one if your current server appears to be blocked.

Surfshark will protect you with AES 256-bit encryption and zero data logging, ensuring that you’re not tracked online. Its NoBorders mode is also enabled by default when the service detects restrictions, so you’ll have the best chance of overcoming Russian social media blocks.

You can get Surfshark for just $ 2.19 per month with our time-limited 86% discount. Best of all, you’re guaranteed a connection or a refund. As long as you request a refund within 30 days, this is an entirely risk-free deal!

2. NordVPN: The best VPN for Russia, though it suffered recent blocks

How to Use Instagram in Russia: Step-by-Step Guide (2024) (7)

Fastest Instagram VPN available
6441 servers to choose from across the world
No activity logs and 256-bit data encryption to keep you anonymous
Obfuscated servers and double VPN options increase security and unblocking capability
Suffered recent blocks in Russia, but you can work around them
Our best VPN for cryptocurrency

NordVPN is our top-rated VPN provider, whether that’s for unblocking, streaming, or anything else. But this service has had some teething issues in Russia lately, leading to many Reddit users claiming the service doesn’t work. It does — but you need to set it up correctly.

Along those lines, we recommend choosing obfuscated servers to ensure your VPN use is properly cloaked and can’t be blocked. By choosing obfuscation in our tests, we could use NordVPN to unblock Instagram.

NordVPN uses powerful encryption and keeps no logs of data. This ensures your online anonymity. It also has other secure connection options, including split tunneling and double VPN, all of which can help you overcome Russian blocks. You can also get a dedicated IP address to reduce the chance that your server is flagged as a VPN connection.

NordVPN’s not quite as cheap as Surfshark, but it’s still highly affordable. With our 74% discount, prices start at just $ 3.09 per month. Like Surfshark, you’ll get a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind!

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Our NordVPN review contains a great deal more information on this VPN’s security features, as well as the results of our in-depth testing circuit.

3. CyberGhost: A reliable Instagram VPN in Russia that typically works

How to Use Instagram in Russia: Step-by-Step Guide (2024) (8)

A vast network of 11700+ servers across the globe
No data logs and military-grade AES 256-bit encryption to secure your internet activity
Can unblock Instagram reliably in Russia based on our tests and Reddit user feedback
Fast connections for other activities, like US streaming, though not as quick as NordVPN
Subscribe using BitCoin and other crypto via BitPay

CyberGhost has been a reliable VPN service for Russia since internet restrictions amped up. We’ve been able to unblock Instagram in Russia, as well as countless other websites like US streaming services like Netflix. We’ve also seen Reddit users leaning on CyberGhost for a reliable VPN that still works in Russia.

One of the best parts of CyberGhost is its server network. It’s the second-largest VPN server network around — you can choose from 11700+ servers worldwide. This massively increases your chance of dodging potentially blocked servers and finding working alternatives that’ll let you unblock Instagram or other social media and news sites.

Download CyberGhost Now and Unblock Instagram in Russia

Curious to learn more about CyberGhost? You can check out our comprehensive CyberGhost review for the speed test results, as well as more details about this VPN’s features.

How We Chose the Best VPN for Instagram

How to Use Instagram in Russia: Step-by-Step Guide (2024) (9)

There are a few must-haves for a quality VPN. These are even more important if you want to get the best VPN for Russia.

We narrowed down our usual pool of VPNs to test, given Russia’s extreme censorship and blocks on many providers. Since Russia is known for strong levels of censorship, any VPN you choose must have premium privacy, safety, and internet freedom.

We considered these factors when choosing the best VPN to use Instagram in Russia:

No data logging: If a VPN logs your data, your private information and identity could make their way to officials or cybercriminals. We only considered the best no-logs VPNs in our test circuit.
Server locations with internet freedom in mind: It’s important to pick a VPN with server locations close enough to keep your speed but in locations with more internet freedom than Russia. Places like Sweden, the UK, and the US are great server locations for optimum freedom.
Strong encryption and VPN protocols: Your VPN has to circumvent geographical restrictions while keeping your information protected. This will let you view restricted content, like news websites and streaming services, without compromising your identity.

Can I Use a Free VPN to Access Instagram in Russia?

There are free VPN services that don’t risk your security. However, many others aren’t fit for unblocking censored websites in Russia. This is because of several reasons, such as:

They’re less likely to work. Users pile onto free services, increasing the chance that Russian authorities detect the connection as a VPN connection.
They can risk your privacy. Many free VPNs claim to be zero-log services when they’re not. Don’t risk having your activity and identity exposed.
Russia has banned them. In 2024, Russia banned VPNs from advertising if they were not sanctioned. Any working, free VPN is likely to be unsafe.

Note:

Bear in mind that Russia is actively trying to prevent VPN usage. Most VPN services are hit by blocks before the provider manages to circumvent them again. We’re monitoring the situation and ensuring that we recommend VPN services that work at the time of testing.

Russia’s censorship continues to expand in the wake of soured relationships with the West and various sanctions being placed on Russia. So far, the country has blocked or censored services, including TikTok, Facebook, Google, and Twitter. This has led many people to wonder how to use Instagram in Russia along with these other platforms.

And the answer is simple: a top VPN provider. Without a premium VPN subscription, you’ll be blocked from Western news, social media platforms, and potentially other websites, too.

This is why a VPN is so important. It lets us keep the internet unrestricted. It helps us connect to those we love, regardless of any restrictions imposed from above. A VPN like Surfshark not only keeps your identity private but also opens up the free internet by unblocking Instagram and other websites.

Get Surfshark to Unblock the Internet and Take Back Your Internet Freedom

You can also check out our other guides to getting unbanned or unblocked from social media sites below!

How to Access TikTok in Russia
Censorship in Russia: Getting Around Restrictions
Accessing WhatsApp Abroad: How to Circumvent Restrictions

How to Access Instagram in Russia: Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions about unblocking Instagram in Russia, check the section below to get answers to frequently asked questions!

Why is Instagram blocked in Russia?

Instagram was blocked in Russia because the Russian authorities deemed it to be spreading fake news about its invasion of Ukraine. This was a move designed by the Kremlin to extend its control over the narrative surrounding the war.

Countless Russian Instagram users are finding a way around this problem. All you need to do isuse Surfshark to bypass online restrictions. With this software, you’ll be able to log into and use your old Instagram account again.

Can I use a VPN to unblock Instagram in Russia?

Yes, you can! A VPN lets you unblock all restricted content and bypass censorship. You can unblock Instagram in Russia in just a few minutes by downloading Surfshark and getting a US IP address or one from another country outside of Russia.

Can I use a free VPN to unblock Instagram in Russia?

Yes, you can. However, it’s generally not a wise idea, as a free VPN isn’t secure and offers limited bandwidth. This lack of security could mean that anything you do online can still be tracked by authorities.

Instead, you can use a free VPN to unlock access to a premium VPN provider, get a subscription, and then enjoy Instagram! For example, use Proton VPN to download Surfshark. Check our Proton VPN review for more information!

Chris BluvshteinAuthor

Senior Journalist

Chris is a tech journalist with many years’ experience covering online privacy and cybersecurity. He’s also a published author and works as a Product Manager for some of the most innovative software development companies.