Server Administration: Resilience to Blocking and Stable Operation in the Russian Federation

In light of recent blockages and the fact that part of the Western internet has long been slow on mobile, I'll briefly explain the DevOps setup that helps keep services stable in Russia while utilizing the main capacity abroad.

Setup

User Device <-> Moscow Server (Proxy + Database) <-> Germany Server (Main Processing Power + GitHub)

• A small server in Russia operates as a load balancer and data storage.
• Main capacity and applications are located abroad (I use Hetzner).
• Server management in Russia - via the console Qwen (say "the site is down" - the agent handles it itself).
• On the western server, Claude is primarily operational.

Why not do everything in Russia

Many external APIs block Russian IP addresses. The same AI endpoints are often unavailable in Russia without VPN workarounds and constant "tightening of the screws" by providers. Therefore, the main processing power is located abroad, while a Russian server is needed for stable user access and for the database.

Plan B in the event of a complete external internet shutdown

If the external network "goes down," we simply deploy the project from the repository to a Russian server and continue on with life. This is built into the architecture from the start.

An important nuance

Setups constantly changing, because they are blocking more and more APIs and services. This needs to be taken into account in advance. If you need to install Claude Code, Codex, or any AI agents—that's my department.

What is included in administration

• Incident response
• Proxy, load balancing, and routing configuration
• Installing the necessary software
• Monitoring and alerts
• Consultations and explanations in plain language.

Cost

5,000 RUB/month for server administration and support.

For whom

• Products with users in the Russian Federation
• Services based on external APIs and AI
• Startups, agencies, SaaS, e-commerce

Web development is not just about fulfilling the requirements, but also about knowing such nuances.