The landscape of pirated video content in Russia has undergone a notable transformation, with a reported decline of over 14% in volume during the first half of 2025. Despite this reduction, the inclination towards subscription-based streaming services has not seen a corresponding increase.
In a striking development, the amount of blocked pirated content in Russia surged by 42%, indicating a shift in the nature of piracy beyond traditional torrents. Users continue to gravitate towards free content, often finding films and series on platforms like RuTube. This ongoing battle against piracy has been likened to a “Schrödinger’s fight,” raising questions about its effectiveness and the risks of fraud associated with such sites.
Are VKontakte and RuTube Taking Bread from Pirates?
As of 2023, Russia has emerged as a leading consumer of pirated content globally, trailing only behind the United States and India. The demand for such content surged following the exit of major foreign film studios from the market in 2022. However, by mid-2025, the volume of pirated video content in Russia had decreased to approximately .6 million. According to research by F6, the peak of Russian online piracy occurred between 2015 and 2018, when the market expanded from million to million. During this period, pirates transitioned from torrents to online cinemas, monetizing their offerings through advertisements from online casinos and bookmakers. Since 2019, revenues have declined due to the shutdown of major CDNs, stricter legislation, and the withdrawal of shadow sponsors.
In 2024, 12.5 million instances of pirated content were blocked, marking a 42.15% increase from 2023’s 8.8 million. The number of blocked pirate domains reached 110,000 in 2024, a 37.5% rise compared to the previous year. Notably, in 2020, the European Commission included several Russian websites in its “Watch List on Counterfeiting and Piracy,” including the social network VKontakte, the messaging service Telegram, and the torrent tracker Rutracker.
The decline in the pirated market seems to correlate with users migrating to platforms like Rutube and VK Video, where high-quality foreign content with dubbing is readily available. The F6 market assessment, based on advertising volume, indicates a drop in revenues due to reduced income streams. Nevertheless, there is no evidence suggesting a decrease in the actual consumption of pirated content.
Torrents: A Dying Breed
Interestingly, while traffic to illegal resources continues to decline, the number of new domains is on the rise. For many, torrents were once a familiar avenue for accessing content, but experts suggest this era is fading. The convenience of obtaining content legally has shifted user preferences. As one expert noted, “People are faced with a choice: download for two hours with the risk of a corrupted file or access a site with films for just 199 rubles.”
According to Andrey Ivashkevich, media director at Okko, torrents are becoming obsolete, particularly among younger generations who are largely unaware of their existence. He remarked, “There has been no rollback since February 2022; it simply hasn’t happened.” However, some individuals who have grown accustomed to free content argue that piracy plays a crucial role in preserving cinematic heritage, as many classic films are only available on torrent trackers due to various factors, including economic impracticalities and censorship in certain countries.
Piracy Persists Due to Corporate Greed
Many users express frustration over the proliferation of numerous streaming services that fragment content, often requiring additional payments for specific titles and imposing device restrictions. Censorship, driven by various regulatory demands, further complicates access to content. In a conversation with “Real Time,” a self-identified pirate named Vladislav shared insights from his experiences hacking systems. He stated, “Piracy has never gone away; it thrives and continues to grow primarily due to corporate greed.” He emphasized that the focus of corporations often lies in profit and influence rather than user satisfaction.
Vladislav elaborated on the motivations behind software updates, suggesting that user preferences are frequently overlooked in favor of superficial changes. “Instead of addressing significant issues like system optimization, attention is diverted to trivial modifications,” he explained.
Fraudsters Gain Direct Access to a Vast Audience
Users visiting sites offering free content face the risk of falling victim to hackers. A representative from Solar webProxy, Anastasia Khveshenik, warned that scammers often disguise viruses, Trojans, and spyware as pirated programs or films. Downloading such files can lead to computer infections. Many pirated sites require users to disable ad blockers, undergo “free registration,” or even pay for “premium access” to expedite downloads. Entering credit card information or personal credentials on these sites poses a significant risk of data theft.
These sites attract users due to their inherently illegitimate nature, operating in a “gray” area where content distributors remain anonymous. Consequently, fraudsters gain direct access to a large audience. Khveshenik noted, “There is a clear trend towards an increase in such schemes. This is a global issue, not limited to Russia, but also prevalent in regions like Asia, where ideas of an ‘independent internet’ are gaining traction. As more official blocks and restrictions are imposed in the legal segment, users increasingly seek alternative routes, while scammers capitalize on these opportunities.”
Renata Valeeva
