10:55 - 4.08.2026

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August 4, Fineko/abc.az. Websites belonging to several of Russia’s top banking institutions have become inaccessible via leading international web browsers, including Google Chrome, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

The outage has impacted clients attempting to access online services for VTB, Sberbank, Alfa-Bank, Russian Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank), Promsvyazbank, Uralsib, and Bank Saint Petersburg. Users trying to reach these portals encounter security warnings or connection failure errors.

According to cybersecurity experts, the connectivity failure stems from issues surrounding SSL/TLS security certificates. Following international sanction restrictions, major Russian financial entities shifted toward national security certificates issued by the Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation. However, standard global browsers such as Chrome, Safari, and Edge do not natively validate these national root certificates, triggering automatic security blocks.

To bypass access disruptions, banks are advising users to utilize domestic web browsers that natively support Russian security standards—such as Yandex Browser or Atom—or to manually install the Russian Ministry of Digital Development's root certificate onto their devices. Mobile banking applications continue to function normally.