Putin on YouTube Slowdowns: We're All Trying to Find the Guy Who Did This

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday lashed out over severe YouTube slowdowns, as state media focused on an investigation into a possible leak by a top Russian official.

The culprit of the slowdown remains unknown, but officials have said that the Russian government is determined to find out what happened.

The government is examining the possibility that sensitive information was shared with Russia’s Western rivals.

"We are trying to understand who leaked this classified information, and we will punish the guilty party, no matter how high their position is," Putin said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the government is investigating the incident, but he declined to confirm whether a Russian official is suspected of leaking the information.

Internet experts have pointed out that YouTube's recent slowdowns are most likely due to outdated infrastructure, rather than malicious activity.

"It's important to remember that YouTube is a global platform, and its performance can be affected by a variety of factors, including the number of users, the type of content being streamed, and the quality of the user's internet connection," said John Smith, an internet expert.

Smith also noted that YouTube has been experiencing a surge in traffic in recent months, as more people have turned to the platform for news and entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic.