Russia will begin testing the independence of the country’s internet, known as Runet, in October of this year. The plan, which was signed into law earlier this year, will see Runet entering “combat mode,” which means that it is being disconnected from the global Internet.

The latest news about the controversial plan was announced this week by Alexander Zharov, who heads the federal communications regulator Roskomnadzor. Zharov stated that “equipment is being installed on the networks of major telecom operators,” to prepare for the test. According to Russia, the test intends to help the country protect its digital assets against foreign attacks, but many security experts believe that it actually aims to bolster Moscow’s censorship capabilities.

Read more: Putin Begins Installing Equipment To Cut Russia’s Access To World Wide Web