Twitter has found a workaround for Moscow's ban on the social media platform and is launching a privacy-protected version of its site that Russians can access, the Associated Press reports.
Russians will be able to access Twitter by downloading the Tor browser and using a .onion suffix at the end of the site address, instead of .com.
On the Tor browser, the .onion suffix allows websites to run without interference, including from the government.
Twitter was slapped with a ban by Russia for restricting the country's government-run media on the platform after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine.
Now in its third week, Russia's war has claimed the lives of 516 Ukrainians, including children, as of Wednesday, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Twitter is the latest social media company to find a workaround to bypass restrictions enacted by governments seeking to control the flow of information.
Facebook has also been blocked by Russia, according to the AP, and is working on restoring access to people inside the country, even as the social media company restricts Russia's state-run media on its platform.
Twitter's version has been in the works since before the Russian invasion began, the company confirmed to the AP on Wednesday.
The company's move could help Russians who have been cut off from outside information by their government and media.
Software engineer and internet security expert Alec Muffett, who helped Twitter engineers set up the Onion site, announced the company's new service on his own Twitter account.
"This is possibly the most important and long-awaited tweet that I've ever composed," he tweeted Tuesday.
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