Experts claim a two-fold reduction in YouTube traffic in Russia since August. VK Video, “Yandex”, RuTube and online cinemas were among the resources to which users went, reports “RBK” with reference to CDN Video analysts.

According to the general director of CDN Video Yaroslav Horodetskyi, the redistribution of traffic is as follows: VK Video (39%), “Yandex” (17%), RuTube and “Ivy” (8% each), Okko (6%). Another 22% of users are waiting for the appearance of a new service with interesting content for them. At the same time, a significant part of the traffic flowed to foreign hosting via VPN. Horodetskyi considers this to be a temporary phenomenon, as using video hosting through a VPN is inconvenient for users.

Horodetskyi also noted that in absolute terms, the best traffic growth is observed in Okko (+50%), RuTube (+43.8%), VK Video (+35%), Ivy (+30.4%) and Yandex ( +21.4%).

Yaroslav Horodetsky also gave the example of China, where YouTube was blocked back in 2009. According to him, after that, local services began to develop there, some of which copied YouTube, others introduced new business models, such as TikTok with short videos. According to Horodetskyi, “it is difficult to develop new technologies in a monopolized market. And when the market clears up, it is possible.

Horodetsky predicts that there will be no analogue of YouTube in Russia capable of monopolizing the market due to the large number of applicants for this role.

“I think there will be some fragmentation of the market: someone knows how to monetize their own videos well, someone is part of large media holdings, etc. As a result, there will be several leaders [в разных нишах]”, – he believes.

On September 20, 2024, users reported (1, 2) that YouTube was back up and running in Russia without the slowdown restrictions of some ISPs and without any outside help. The availability of the service depends on the communication operators and the user’s region.