Cogent Communications is a key provider of internet to Russia.
Internet service provider Cogent Communications (CCOI) – Get Cogent Communications Holdings Inc Report was reportedly preparing to sever relations with Russian customers on Friday, due to the “unwarranted and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
The action was expected to begin on Friday at noon Eastern time, the Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the company’s decision.
‘Terminating All Your Services’
Cogent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“In light of the unwarranted and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Cogent is terminating all of your services effective at 5 p.m. GMT on March 4, 2022,” the company said in a letter to one of its customers that was obtained by the Post.
The letter added that “the economic sanctions put in place as a result of the invasion and the increasingly uncertain security situation make it impossible for Cogent to continue to provide you with service. “
“All Cogent-provided ports and IP address space will be reclaimed as of the termination date,” Cogent said.
Cogent is one of world’s largest internet providers and its customers in Russia include state-owned Rostelecom, the largest Internet provider in Russia whose customers include many government sites.
Russia is connected to the world by several backbone providers but Cogent is among its largest.
‘Putin’s Troll Factory’
Cogent’s actions are likely to cause some disruptions and diminished performance in Russia, though it won’t be enough to knock the nation offline.
Ukrainian officials have been lobbying American Internet companies to cut off services from Russia.
They had also asked ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, to suspend the main Russian Internet domain, .ru, but the group said that the request was neither technically feasible nor within the mission of ICANN.
Reaction on social media was varied, with some commenters praising Cogent’s decisions and others condemning it.
“Putin’s troll factory and Russian Mafia scam factory are about to have major problems,” one person wrote on Twitter. “Key U.S. provider of Internet to Russia, Cogent Communications plans to cut service there, citing ‘unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
“WTF Cogent?,” another commenter tweeted. “Cutting Russians off from internet access cuts them from off from sources of independent news and the ability to organize anti-war protests. Don’t do Putin’s dirty work for him.”
The U.S. and the European governments have imposed a number sanctions on Russia for its attack upon Ukraine.
