While little is known about what is actually happening in the region, with alarming claims being made from both sides, the blockade ensues amid allegations from Russian generals, who reportedly accuse Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner Group, of conspiring to orchestrate a coup against President Vladimir Putin.

While Google has not issued a statement so far, the consequences on the ground are evident. Internet freedom in Russia is taking a hit, as NetBlocks, an internet watch service, discerned that a multitude of internet service providers (ISPs) are curbing access to the platform.

NetBlocks' analysis revealed that Rostelecom, U-LAN, and Telplus are among the at least five ISPs obstructing access to the news service. It has also been observed that the bandwidth allocated to Google News has been deliberately trimmed by several other ISPs.