Russian Ministry for Digital Technology denies plans to unplug Russia from internet

MOSCOW. March 8 (Interfax) - The Russian Ministry for Digital Technology, Communication and Mass Media has denied rumors about the allegedly existing plans to disconnect Russia from the worldwide web.

"There are nonstop cyberattacks on Russian sites from abroad. We are getting prepared for various scenarios in order to ensure the accessibility of Russian [online] resources. There are no plans to switch off the internet from inside [the country]," the ministry's press service told Interfax on Monday.

The ministry has sent a letter to Russian government agencies with recommendations on cyber hygiene, it said.

These recommendations will help organize some more effective work to defend online resources from malicious traffic and maintain the operation of services and control over domain names, the ministry said.