After claiming (incorrectly) that the CIA invented the Internet to control Russia, Putin went further. To resist outside [Western] influence, Putin said, Russia needs to fight for the interests of Russian ethnic peoples online as well as in the world... The Kremlin has been anxious to exert greater control over the Internet, which democratic opposition activists - barred from Putin's government and crony controlled national television - have used to promote their ideas and organize protests. Russia's parliament this week passed a law requiring social media websites to keep their servers in Russia and save all information about their users for at least half a year. Also, businessmen close to Putin seized ontrol Russia's leading social media network, VKontakte, [whose founder fled the country for his own safety] (As reported here on Rantburg earlier)Looks like Tsar Vlad wants to limit speech to that which he and the oligarchs approve - using nationalism and ignorance to control the population, and controlling his own internet to isolate the Rodina, much the way the Soviet Union kept its citizens in the dark, ignorant, and politically indoctrinated.