Digital 2025: The Russian Federation
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This page contains all the data, insights, and trends you need to help you understand how people in the Russian Federation use digital devices, online platforms, and connected services in 2025.
If you want to know whether this is our most recent report on Russia, or if you’re looking for data on digital trends and behaviours in the Russian Federation for other years, you can find DataReportal’s full collection of (free!) reports on Russia by clicking here.
You’ll also find the complete Digital 2025 report for the Russian Federation in the “full report” section towards the bottom of this page, but we’ll start this article by taking a look at the essential headline numbers for Russia this year.
Just before that, we’d like to say a big thank you to Meltwater and to We Are Social for their support of the Global Digital Reports series in 2025.
Now, let’s start exploring the data…
The “state of digital” in the Russian Federation in 2025
Here are DataReportal’s essential headlines for the adoption and use of connected devices and services in Russia in 2025:
A total of 216 million cellular mobile connections were active in the Russian Federation in early 2025, with this figure equivalent to 150 percent of the total population. However, note that some of these connections may only include services such as voice and SMS, and some may not include access to the internet.
There were 133 million individuals using the internet in Russia at the start of 2025, when online penetration stood at 92.2 percent.
Russia was home to 106 million social media user identities in January 2025, equating to 73.4 percent of the total population.
These headline stats offer a great overview of the “state of digital” in the Russian Federation at the start of 2025, but in order to make sense of how digital trends and behaviours have been evolving over time, we need to dig deeper into the data.
Let’s take a closer look at what the numbers tell us, starting with some valuable context relating to the population of the Russian Federation.
Population of the Russian Federation in 2025
The population of the Russian Federation stood at 144 million in January 2025.
Data shows that Russia’s population decreased by 770 thousand (-0.5 percent) between early 2024 and the start of 2025.
Meanwhile, in early 2025, 75.7 percent of Russia’s population lived in urban centres, whereas 24.3 percent lived in rural areas.
At that time, 53.6 percent of Russia’s population was female, while 46.4 percent of the population was male.
Note: gender data were only available for “female” and “male” at the time of report production.
The Russian Federation’s population by age
At the beginning of 2025, the median age of the Russian Federation’s population was 40.3, with half of the Russian Federation’s population above this age, and the other half of the population below it.
For added context, here’s how the Russian Federation’s total population broke down by age group at the start of the year:
4.6 percent was between the ages of 0 and 4.
9.9 percent was between the ages of 5 and 12.
6.0 percent was between the ages of 13 and 17.
7.3 percent was between the ages of 18 and 24.
11.2 percent was between the ages of 25 and 34.
16.8 percent was between the ages of 35 and 44.
14.0 percent was between the ages of 45 and 54.
12.3 percent was between the ages of 55 and 64.
17.8 percent was aged 65 and above.
Note: percentages may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding.
Mobile connections in the Russian Federation in 2025
Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 216 million cellular mobile connections in the Russian Federation at the beginning of 2025.
For perspective, many people make use of more than one mobile connection, so it’s not unusual for mobile connection figures to significantly exceed figures for total population.
For example, the same person might have one mobile connection for personal use, but also use a separate mobile connection for work activities. The rise of eSIMs has made this even easier over recent years.
Indeed, GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in Russia were equivalent to 150 percent of the total population in January 2025.
Looking at trends over time, the number of mobile connections in Russia decreased by 3.3 million (-1.5 percent) between the start of 2024 and the beginning of 2025.
Meanwhile, GSMA Intelligence’s data suggests that 95.0% of mobile connections in Russia can now be considered “broadband”, which means that they connect via 3G, 4G, or 5G mobile networks.
However, devices that connect to “broadband” mobile networks do not necessarily use cellular mobile data — for example, some subscription plans may only include access to voice and SMS services — so this broadband figure should not be considered a proxy for mobile internet use.
Internet use in the Russian Federation in 2025
At the time of report production, the latest available data indicated that there were 133 million internet users in the Russian Federation in January 2025.
This means that the Russian Federation’s internet penetration rate stood at 92.2 percent of the total population at the start of the year.
Meanwhile, Kepios’s analysis indicates that the number of internet users in Russia decreased by 711 thousand (-0.5 percent) between January 2024 and January 2025.
And for added perspective, the Russian Federation’s internet adoption rate (i.e. the percentage of the total population that uses the internet) remained unchanged during the same period.
But these user figures also suggest that 11.2 million people in Russia did not use the internet at the beginning of 2025, suggesting that 7.8 percent of the population remained “offline” at the start of the year.
However, complexities associated with the collection and analysis of internet user data mean that it can often take several months before research is ready for publication.
As a result, the latest published figures for internet use may under-represent current realities, and actual rates for internet adoption and year-on-year growth may be higher than the figures shown here suggest.
Please see our comprehensive notes on data for further details.
Internet connection speeds in the Russian Federation in 2025
Figures published by Ookla indicate that internet users in the Russian Federation could have expected the following internet connection speeds at the beginning of 2025, reported in megabits per second (Mbps):
Median mobile internet download speed via cellular data networks*: 26.21 Mbps.
Median fixed internet download speed: 89.39 Mbps.
Ookla’s data reveals that the median mobile internet download speed in the Russian Federation increased by 2.24 Mbps (+9.3 percent) in the twelve months to January 2025.
Meanwhile, the company’s data shows that the download speed of the typical fixed internet connection in Russia increased by 4.65 Mbps (+5.5 percent) during the same period.
*Note: values for mobile internet connection speeds only include data transfer via cellular mobile networks (e.g. 3G, 4G, and 5G connections), and do not represent the speed of mobile connections via WiFi where the WiFi router connects to the internet via “fixed” infrastructure.
Social media statistics for the Russian Federation in 2025
DataReportal’s figures show that there were 106 million active social media user identities in the Russian Federation in January 2025.
For perspective, this figure was equivalent to 73.4 percent of the Russian Federation’s total population at the start of 2025.
However, while our methodology strives to “de-duplicate” social media users across different social platforms — and, wherever possible, to remove accounts that do not represent individual human users — it’s important to stress that our social media user identities figures may not represent unique individuals (see our detailed notes on data to learn why).
Moreover, due to complexities associated with de-duplicating users across different social platforms, the methodology that we use to calculate social media user identities may sometimes only factor users of the social media platform that has the largest active audience in the respective country at the time of report production.
As a result, the figures that we publish for a country’s overall social media use may sometimes look very similar to the statistics that we publish for the most popular social media platform in that country.
Separately, please also note that the signals and sources that we rely on to inform these social media figures make regular changes and corrections to their data.
As a result, the values for social media use shown here might appear to be quite different to the numbers that we published in previous years.
Because of this, we advise significant caution when comparing the values for social media user identities published in this year’s reports with those published in previous years, especially because changes in our reported values may be the result of “corrections” in the source data, and not all trends will be the result of changes in actual user behaviour.
This is particularly pertinent when it comes to trends in social media use over time, and we recommend that readers use the change figures published below, rather than trying to re-calculate growth figures using data published in our previous reports.
And on that note, Kepios’s analysis shows that social media user identities in the Russian Federation remained unchanged between early 2024 and the beginning of 2025.
Turning our attention to user demographics, data published in the ad planning tools of top social media platforms indicates that there were 91.5 million users aged 18 and above using social media in Russia at the beginning of 2025, which was equivalent to 79.7 percent of the total population aged 18 and above.
At that time, 54.8 percent of Russia’s social media user identities were female, while 45.2 percent were male.
And for added context, it may be helpful to know that 79.6 percent of the Russian Federation’s total internet user base (regardless of age) used at least one social media platform in January 2025.
Note: due to source data limitations, we’re only able to report gender data for “female” and “male”.
VK users in the Russian Federation in 2025
Figures published by Mediascope indicate that VK (VKontakte) had 93.8 million active users in Russia in early 2025.
These numbers indicate that VK’s active user base in Russia was equivalent to 65.0 percent of the country’s total population at the start of the year.
And for added perspective, the same data suggests that 70.4 percent of the Russian Federation’s internet users were also VK users in January 2025.
Meanwhile, at the start of the year, data from GWI indicated that 52.6 percent of VK’s adult users in Russia were female, while 47.4 percent were male.
Note: at the time of report production, gender data were only available for “female” and “male”.
VK user growth in Russia
Mediascope’s data suggests that VK’s active user base in the Russian Federation increased by 3.4 million (+3.7 percent) between January 2024 and January 2025.
Meanwhile, on a quarter-by-quarter basis, Mediascope’s figures indicate that the number of active VKontakte users in Russia increased by 3.5 million (+3.9 percent) between October 2024 and January 2025.
TikTok users in the Russian Federation in 2025
Figures published in TikTok’s advertising resources indicate that TikTok had 56.0 million users aged 18 and above in the Russian Federation in early 2025.
Note that TikTok allows marketers to target TikTok ads to users aged 13 and above via its advertising tools, but these tools only show audience data for users aged 18 and above.
And for context, TikTok’s figures indicate that TikTok ads reached 48.8 percent of all adults aged 18 and above in Russia at the start of 2025.
Meanwhile, TikTok’s ad reach in Russia was equivalent to 42.0 percent of the local internet user base at the beginning of the year, regardless of age.
In early 2025, 42.5 percent of TikTok’s adult ad audience in the Russian Federation was female, whereas 57.5 percent was male.
Note: at the time of report production, TikTok’s advertising resources only published audience gender data for “female” and “male” users.
TikTok user growth in the Russian Federation
Data published in TikTok’s own ad planning tools show that TikTok’s potential ad reach in the Russian Federation decreased by 2.61 million* (-4.5 percent) between the beginning of 2024 and early 2025.
Meanwhile, figures indicate that the potential reach of ads on TikTok in Russia decreased by 553 thousand* (-1.0 percent) between October 2024 and January 2025.
Having said that, ad audiences often only account for a subset of a platform’s total users, and given that TikTok’s ad tools only publish data for users aged 18 and above, it’s important to remember that trends in TikTok’s ad reach figures may not necessarily match changes in the platform’s overall user base.
*Important note: in addition to regular changes in active user numbers, social media platforms may revise or “correct” the audience reach figures that they report in their advertising tools, and these interventions may result in an apparent decline in reported reach.
For example, platforms may remove accounts that do not meet their terms of service — such as when users create duplicate or “false” accounts — or when they suspect accounts to be engaging in “inauthentic” activity.
On occasion, these platform “corrections” may result in meaningful changes in reported reach, and such adjustments may significantly distort trends and values for change over time.
However, in many cases, such declines in reported ad reach do not indicate any change in legitimate platform use by “real” humans, and should not be interpreted as such.
As a result, we recommend significant caution when interpreting trends relating to negative changes in reported audience reach.
Please see our detailed notes on data to learn whether our analysis has detected such changes in relevant figures.
▶ Looking for more TikTok stats? Click here to explore our in-depth TikTok data for every available country.
Snapchat users in the Russian Federation in 2025
Data published in Snap’s advertising resources indicate that Snapchat had 8.06 million users in the Russian Federation in early 2025.
This figure means that Snapchat’s ad reach in Russia was equivalent to 5.6 percent of the total population at the start of the year.
However, Snap only allows people aged 13 and above to use the platform, so it’s also worth noting that 6.5 percent of the “eligible” audience in Russia used Snapchat in early 2025.
Moreover, data published in the company’s ad tools indicate that 5.2 percent of adults aged 18 and above in the Russian Federation used Snapchat at the beginning of 2025.
And for added perspective, Snapchat’s ad reach in Russia was equivalent to 6.0 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age) at the start of the year.
In early 2025, 79.4 percent of Snapchat’s adult ad audience in Russia was female, while 17.9 percent was male.
Note: In addition to publishing gender data for “female” and “male” users, Snap’s advertising resources also publish data for “unknown” gender, so the figures published for “female” and “male” users don’t always add up to the total user figure. As a result, the percentages shown here may not sum to 100 percent.
Snapchat user growth in the Russian Federation
Data published in Snap’s own ad planning tools show that Snapchat’s potential ad reach in the Russian Federation increased by 320 thousand (+4.1 percent) between the start of 2024 and early 2025.
Meanwhile, the same data show that the number of users that marketers could reach with ads on Snapchat in Russia increased by 315 thousand (+4.1 percent) between October 2024 and January 2025.
However, it’s important to stress that these advertising reach figures do not represent monthly active user figures, and there may be meaningful differences between the size of Snapchat’s ad audience and its total active user base.
▶ Looking for more Snapchat stats? Click here to explore our in-depth Snapchat data for all available countries.
X users in the Russian Federation in 2025
Numbers published in X’s advertising resources indicate that X had 630 thousand users in the Russian Federation in early 2025.
This figure means that X’s ad reach in Russia was equivalent to 0.4 percent of the total population at the time.
However, it’s important to stress that these advertising reach figures are not the same as monthly active user figures, and there may be meaningful differences between the size of X’s ad audience and its total active user base.
Meanwhile, X only allows people aged 13 and above to use its platform, so it’s worth adding that the latest figures suggest that 0.5 percent of the “eligible” audience in Russia used X at the time of report production.
Furthermore, data published in the company’s ad tools indicate that 0.5 percent of adults aged 18 and above in the Russian Federation used X at the beginning of 2025.
And for additional context, X’s ad reach in Russia was equivalent to 0.5 percent of the local internet user base (regardless of age) at the start of the year.
In early 2025, the company’s own data indicated that 38.1 percent of X’s adult ad audience in Russia was female, while 61.9 percent was male.
However, X appears to infer its users’ gender, by analysing signals such as the name that users enter in their profile, and their broader activity on the platform.
This contrasts with the gender data offered in the advertising tools of platforms like Facebook, which tend to rely on gender details that users themselves enter in their own profile.
Moreover, our analysis suggests that X’s inferences may be less representative of users’ actual gender in countries where English is not the dominant language.
For example, consumer research findings published by GWI often offer a different picture of X use by gender compared with X’s own audience data.
Having said that, the apparent gender “skew” that frequently appears in X’s inferred gender data may also be due in part to the high number of legitimate but “non-human” accounts that feature in X’s active user data, including accounts that represent businesses and brands, animals, music groups, and various other entities [note that X doesn’t currently distinguish between “people” and other types of account in the ways that platforms like Facebook and Instagram do].
Regardless of the cause though, we’d advise caution when analysing or interpreting X’s reported figures for use by gender.
X user growth in the Russian Federation
Data published in X’s own ad planning tools show that X’s potential ad reach in the Russian Federation decreased by 360 thousand* (-36.4 percent) between the beginning of 2024 and early 2025.
Meanwhile, the same data show that the number of users that marketers could reach with ads on X in Russia increased by 49.8 thousand (+8.6 percent) between October 2024 and January 2025.
However, please note that the figures published in X’s planning tools are liable to significant fluctuation — even over short periods of time — and these anomalies may impact the reliability and representativeness of these change figures.
Moreover, we’ve identified some unusual trends in the data reported in X’s advertising tools in recent months, so we’d advise caution when it comes to analysing changes over time in these X reach figures.
*Important note: to make better sense of these trends, please refer to our guidance on interpreting declines in platform reach towards the end of the TikTok section above.
▶ Looking for more X stats? Click here to explore our in-depth X data for countries everywhere.
Additional resources
Just before we get to the full report, here are some suggestions for further reading, which will provide additional context for our full set of Digital 2025 numbers for the Russian Federation:
Read our complete Digital 2025 Global Overview Report to get a comprehensive overview of the “state of digital” around the world in 2025.
Click here to see all of the Global Digital Reports we’ve published for the Russian Federation over the years.
Explore all of our reports on countries in the Eastern Europe region by clicking here.
Find all of the reports in the Digital 2025 series via this handy index page.
Visit our complete online library to see all of the (free!) reports in the Global Digital Reports series.
If you’d like to receive updates when we publish new reports, click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Full report
You’ll find our complete Digital 2025: The Russian Federation report in the embed below (click here if you can’t see that, or if you can’t change the slides).