Key Takeaways: How Our VPN Experts Unblocked Facebook in Russia With This Easy-to-Follow Guide

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military offensive against Ukraine. In a bid to control the narrative about the war, the Kremlin began to target social media platforms, and on March 21, 2022, it banned Facebook. As a consequence, millions of users of this social media platform have been left wondering how to unblock Facebook in Russia.

The Facebook ban is part of the Russian government’s clampdown on social media and news platforms. So far, the likes of Instagram, Google News and Twitter have been blocked or severely restricted in ongoing efforts to limit Internet freedom.

In March 2024, the Russian government banned VPN advertisements, just ahead of the country’s presidential elections. The VPN advertisement ban does not extend to state-approved VPNs which could pose severe security risks as they are likely to share users’ data with the government. This is very alarming, since the government already collects citizens’ online data and many people have been arrested for anti-war opinions posted online as a result.

All is not lost, however, as you can get around the Facebook ban by using a VPN. If you reside in Russia, you don’t have to stay off the grid; our cybersecurity experts have compiled a step-by-step guide on getting Facebook unblocked in Russia. We also have helpful guides on how to unblock Twitter and bypass the Instagram ban in Russia.

A strong and secure VPN protects your Internet freedom and autonomy — it helps you safely bypass Russian geoblocks and enjoy Facebook, whether you want to get in touch with friends and family or have access to news and media outlets outside of the Kremlin’s control.

But not just any VPN will do — some of the VPNs we tested failed to bypass the Facebook ban, while others were approved by the government and are likely to pose a threat to your online privacy. This is why we strongly encourage you to opt for the VPNs we tested in Russia.

In this post, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide to get you started, and we’ll also reveal our tried-and-tested VPNs for unblocking Facebook in Russia, of which ExpressVPN is our top choice. Let’s dig in.

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How to Use Facebook in Russia With a VPN

Setting up a VPN is easy, as we’ll show you in the steps below. For this example, we’ll use ExpressVPN because it is among the few VPNs that still work in Russia. It comes with superior security features which makes it the best VPN for unblocking Facebook in Russia. However, you can follow similar steps to set up other VPNs as well. Keep scrolling to discover other great VPNs we recommend for bypassing the Russian Facebook ban.

Here’s how to unblock Facebook in Russia:

1. Sign Up for and Download ExpressVPN

   Go to ExpressVPN’s website and click on the “get ExpressVPN” button (or the “Купить ExpressVPN” button in Russian). Choose a plan and a payment method and enter your billing details. Next, download and install the VPN on your device.

   

2. Choose a Server Location

   Next, open your VPN and select a server in a nearby country.

   

3. Open and Start Using Facebook

   Finally, you can sign in and access your Facebook without restrictions or surveillance.

   

What Is the Best VPN to Unblock Facebook in Russia?

To unblock Facebook, you need a VPN provider with strong security and encryption features to avoid Russian censorship and geoblocks. Also, the VPN doesn’t need to have physical servers in Russia, but it does need at least one in a neighboring country. You can find out more in our best VPN for Russia guide. 

1. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is excellent for unblocking Facebook in Russia
because it’s fast, secure and easy to use. 

ExpressVPN is our best VPN for unblocking social media in Russia. It offers best-in-class security with features like AES-256 encryption, a kill switch and leak protection. If the Russian government demands your Facebook data, there’ll be nothing to show, since ExpressVPN keeps no logs and the TrustedServer technology wipes your data from its servers periodically. 

ExpressVPN has a handful of servers in countries close to Russia including Norway, Poland, Finland and Belarus. Plus, ExpressVPN has incredibly fast and stable connections, so it’s a great choice for data-heavy activities like livestreaming or organizing a watch party. Learn more in our exhaustive ExpressVPN review, or take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee.

2. NordVPN

NordVPN’s new threat protection feature helps you block
malware and ads while using Facebook in Russia. 

NordVPN is another top-of-the-line VPN that matches ExpressVPN in many respects (see our ExpressVPN vs NordVPN comparison). Even though NordVPN has servers in only 60 countries, quite a few of those servers are in countries bordering Russia, such as Latvia, Ukraine, Estonia and Moldova, which makes it great at bypassing geoblocks. 

We recommend NordVPN to journalists and anyone at risk politically because of its double VPN feature, which routes your traffic through two servers instead of one. Further, its new threat protection feature helps you ward off malware and ads while using Facebook. You also get an automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection to ensure your data never leaks. 

Learn more about the service in our NordVPN review or use its 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out.

3. CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a cheap VPN, especially with the long-term plans. 

CyberGhost is one of the most beginner-friendly VPNs we’ve ever reviewed. On Android, iOS and Windows in particular, the CyberGhost app is simple, organized and easy to use. Another appealing feature of this VPN service are its “NoSpy” servers that are all located in privacy-friendly Romania.

To cap it all off, CyberGhost is budget-friendly, especially on the long-term plans, so it’s no wonder it makes our best cheap VPNs list. Although it’s low cost, CyberGhost has a raft of solid security features, including AES-256 encryption, an automatically enabled kill switch and a strict no-logs policy. See our CyberGhost review to learn more or make use of its extensive 45-day refund period. 

Can I Use a Free VPN to Unblock Facebook in Russia?

Although you can use a free VPN to access Facebook in Russia, such VPNs often come with a number of challenges and constraints. First of all, free VPNs often log customer data and sell it to advertisers. They may even transfer your Internet traffic data to the Russian government itself. In addition, such VPNs might be riddled with malware and ads, giving you a frustrating time while using the VPN. 

What’s more, you’re likely to have data caps and bandwidth throttling with free VPNs. That said, if you must use a free VPN, we recommend Windscribe and ProtonVPN, as you can see in our free VPN guide. Windscribe gives a whopping 10GB free, while ProtonVPN provides unlimited data but limits speeds. However, keep in mind that the Russian government is aware of VPN use and works hard on preventing it in order to stay on top of media censorship, which means that many free VPNs are unlikely to work in Russia.

Final Thoughts

Living in Russia and not being able to access Facebook is frustrating, especially if you use the social media platform to keep up with friends and family or for business. Fortunately, Putin’s online censorship is not the end of the road; with a VPN, Russian users can access Facebook with ease. 

Like China, Russia doesn’t wholeheartedly welcome VPNs, so you need a robust VPN that can get past geoblocks without detection. As you’ve seen in this post, ExpressVPN is the prime choice for Facebook in Russia, while NordVPN and CyberGhost are cheaper yet reliable alternatives. 

Have you tried accessing Facebook in Russia with a VPN? Which VPN did you use, and were you able to get in? Share your experience with us in the comments section. As always, thanks for reading.

FAQ

• Can Russians Use VPNs?

  Russians can use a VPN, although they’re better off using it incognito. Since the escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian war and the banning of social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, Russians are turning to VPNs in droves.

• How Do I Unblock Facebook Using a VPN?

  Download and install the VPN of your choice. Next, open the VPN app and connect to a server location outside Russia. You should get a notification or message indicating that you’ve successfully connected. Finally, log in to your Facebook account and enjoy the app.

• Are VPNs Blocked in Russia?

  VPNs are not blocked in Russia, and you can use one to access blocked content. However, it’s worth noting that the Russian government has banned several VPNs following the introduction of the VPN law in 2017 and their refusal to comply with orders to connect to the Federal State Information (FSIS). As a result, some VPNs removed their physical servers from the country.

The post How to Unblock Facebook in Russia in 2024: Avoid the Russian Ban appeared first on Cloudwards.