Russian farmers complain of mobile internet shutdowns amid spring planting

MOSCOW, March 26 (Reuters) – Russian government measures to shut down mobile internet across the country because of Ukrainian drone attacks are affecting fieldwork during the planting season, a major farming lobby said on Thursday.

The government requires farmers to log the amount of seed they have for planting and the volumes of grain they produce and sell in an online system as it seeks to digitise the agriculture sector.

Several top grain-producing regions border Ukraine or are located close to the border. These regions have become targets of frequent drone or missile attacks, with authorities shutting down mobile internet, which can be used for targeting.

“In situations when restrictions on mobile internet access are applied, farmers regularly face problems connecting to mandatory agricultural systems,” a letter from the People Farmers lobby group to the Digital Development Ministry said.

The letter said the restrictions make digital reporting impossible during shutdowns, creating risks of late reporting, penalties and financial losses for farms during the crucial planting season, which has started in the southern regions.

The lobby asked for the services to be included in a so-called “white list” of internet resources that remain accessible during shutdowns, which currently includes more than 100 websites.

(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Alex Richardson)