Ukraine boasts diverse and magnificent landscapes, as well as beautiful churches and fascinating traditions. However, over the last few years, Ukraine has been in the news due to the political unrest caused by the removal of Viktor Yanukovych from the presidency in 2014 and the crisis that resulted from Russia’s occupation of Crimea. Russian military intervention has also included support for separatists groups in eastern Ukraine. The government has failed to tackle corruption effectively (https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2017/ukraine), which has affected the development of the country in different areas. In addition, freedom of the press is under threat and concerns about the safety of journalists have increased, particularly following the car explosion in which Pavel Sheremet, recognized for criticizing the Ukrainian, Russian and Belarussian governments, was killed.
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has extended to the media, with the two countries waging an information war that has resulted in censorship of content that represents a threat to their agendas. As part of the efforts to control the influence of separatists groups, the government has asked the Ukrainian Internet Association (UIA) to block several websites that are deemed as dangerous for the nation’s integrity. (https://www.dailydot.com/layer8/ukraine-blocks-russian-websites/) The list was issued by the Security Service of Ukraine and it features websites in Russian that support separatists in the eastern Ukraine region of Donbas, but it also includes popular Russian gaming websites, YouTube videos and online newspapers. Russian services that were widely used in Ukraine such as Yandex and Mail.ru have also been blocked as a consequence of the war with Russia.
In spite being one of the largest countries in Europe, Ukraine has a lower percentage of internet users when compared to other nations. It is estimated that only 44% of the population has access to the internet. However, those who use the internet rely on the entertainment, information and everything else that this technology offers and it is likely that if the Ukrainian government pushes towards stricter online censorship, people will look for ways to defeat the restrictions. VPNs have become increasingly popular thanks to the fact that they allow to circumvent blocks. By connecting to a server in a different country where the internet is not subject to restrictions, users in Ukraine can enjoy access to content that usually is blocked for them.
With a VPN, you will not only be able to access websites and services that have been blocked in Ukraine, you will also get the chance to discover content from services that are only available in the United States, such as Hulu and the US version of Netflix. Apart from allowing you to get around censorship and geographical blocks, a VPN is a fantastic tool to protect your privacy. When you connect to the internet using a VPN, your traffic is encrypted so third parties won’t be able to access it. A VPN enhances the privacy and security of your online communications and activities, protecting you from online surveillance and hacking. It is also a valuable tool to bypass restrictions and enjoy a wider selection of content.
Here are the best VPN services for users in Ukraine.
NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the best options for users who want to enjoy a strong level of privacy and security for their traffic. This provider is based in Panama, which allows it to offer a zero logs policy since there are no mandatory data retention laws in that country. NordVPN has over 1100 servers in 61 countries, including many good options for customers in Ukraine such as Slovakia and Romania. These close locations offer good speeds and access to content that is restricted in Ukraine. NordVPN supports features that add strong security to your connection.
ExpressVPN
With ExpressVPN you will enjoy security, great speeds and access to efficient servers that will allow you to defeat restrictions effectively. This provider based in the British Virgin Islands is known for its fast VPN solution that allows you to defeat blocks and stream content or play games without hassle. Currently, they have servers in over 90 countries, including Ukraine, in case you don’t want to change your location but need to get an extra layer of security and privacy for your online traffic. ExpressVPN doesn’t keep logs of your online activities or communications.
Buffered
Buffered is based in Hungary and it has become a popular solution for users who want to defeat online restrictions, without compromising the security of their traffic. The service is also very fast, which makes it perfect for streaming content. You will be able to bypass censorship and keep your online traffic protected with strong encryption, without having to sacrifice speed. At the moment, Buffered has servers in over 40 countries and new options are regularly being added to ensure that customers in Ukraine and around the world can defeat blocks.
