The Clean Sky Initiative, a Ukrainian anti-piracy media coalition, has called on government regulators and internet service providers to overhaul Ukraine's web blocking system after monitoring revealed widespread failures to block banned Russian and pirate streaming services.
The appeal follows a joint working meeting on September 29 between state officials, telecommunications regulators, and electronic communications providers. Participants concluded that Ukraine requires a fully operational blocking mechanism rather than a framework that exists only on paper.
Ukraine's official restriction list currently includes 78 media services associated with 920 unique web domains. The list covers 15 paid Russian over-the-top and video-on-demand platforms, 38 streaming websites and IPTV services featuring Russian television channels, and 25 pirate video-on-demand movie websites.
The Clean Sky Initiative, an industry union formed to combat digital piracy and protect intellectual property rights, has actively contributed to compiling the blacklist since 2023. However, organization officials warned that scaling up the list has exposed a systemic flaw, as adding a resource does not guarantee that providers will actually restrict user access.
Inspection results reveal widespread blocking failures
Modern digital piracy operations rely on complex technical networks of primary domains, mirror sites, and alternative web addresses that operators quickly rotate once blocked. Major platforms such as HD REZKA, KINOGO, and Filmix each operate more than 100 separate web addresses, allowing them to bypass restrictions almost immediately.
During the first half of 2026, the Clean Sky Initiative monitored 18 internet service providers across Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, and selected western Ukrainian cities. Testers checked approximately 100 identical domain names over standard Wi-Fi connections without virtual private networks or specialized tools, imitating the actions of an ordinary internet user.
Subsequent official inspections conducted by NKEK, Ukraine's national electronic communications regulator, following complaints from the Clean Sky Initiative, confirmed significant compliance gaps. Out of 18 providers checked, 11 failed to fully restrict access to forbidden sites, while seven were found to be in full compliance.
The scope of non-compliance ranged from a few unblocked web addresses to large portions of the restricted domain list. Clean Sky reported during the meeting that no monetary fines were issued to non-compliant providers, with identified violations being rectified on the spot during regulatory visits.
Three main vulnerabilities in current blocking procedures
Clean Sky representatives outlined three primary technical and operational problems undermining enforcement. First, Ukraine lacks a single practical blocking standard, leading providers to adopt varying technical methods that sometimes risk over-blocking legal websites.
Second, offenders exploit rapid mirror site creation, launching new domain names immediately after old ones are blocked and forcing state authorities into a perpetual game of catch-up. Third, processing domain lists remains largely manual, requiring significant time and staff resources from providers.
Clean Sky emphasized that these operational demands are compounded by severe current challenges, including ongoing wartime destruction of Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The coalition also noted an unfair market dynamic where providers offering unrestricted access to forbidden platforms gain a competitive advantage over compliant competitors.
Clean Sky warned that while resource shortages hinder compliance, failing to enforce blocks damages national security in cognitive warfare. The coalition stressed that unblocked platforms carry covert Russian propaganda, enemy narratives, and dangerous content into the Ukrainian information space.
Proposed solutions for automated enforcement
To resolve these architectural weaknesses, Clean Sky proposed four key areas of joint reform. The initiative urged regulators to establish a unified practical blocking standard, at least through formal regulatory recommendations, defining exact technical methods to minimize accidental over-blocking.
It also recommended creating a machine-readable domain list accessible via an application programming interface alongside traditional official letters and PDF documents. This change would automate list updates, reduce manual workload, and eliminate human error.
The third proposal calls for a fast-track regulatory mechanism targeting mirror sites of previously banned services, preventing offenders from maintaining access for weeks or months through simple domain changes. Finally, Clean Sky recommended establishing a permanent working group connecting the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, NKEK, telecom providers, and Clean Sky to address technical friction and refine procedures based on practical experience.
Vyacheslav Mienko, head of the Clean Sky Initiative, said that for the organization, success is not measured by the number of listed domains or checked providers. He stated that real results occur when prohibited Russian or pirate media services become completely inaccessible to Ukrainian users, allowing providers to enforce state decisions without excessive manual effort, technical ambiguity, or disproportionate operational burdens.
Next steps for regulatory reform
Following the September 29 meeting, the National Council invited all industry participants to submit formal recommendations for next steps. Clean Sky Initiative is currently preparing a detailed proposal package covering technical solutions and necessary regulatory updates while continuing to monitor website accessibility across Ukrainian networks.
Vitaliy Voloshyn, a lawyer at Smartsolutions providing legal support for the Initiative, said the main conclusion of the meeting was simple, noting that a blocking decision must lead to actual blocking. He added that a gap currently exists between decision making and enforcement, calling it a matter of national security and emphasizing that restricting access to Russian media services during wartime is essential to protect Ukraine's information space.
