Anything in particular you did so it does not store any data? I’m thinking I should try out the same on a cheap VPS.

It’s like saying the police is preparing for thieves robbing the bank or the fire department preparing for a wildfire. It’s part of their job and it would be stranger not to have a contingency plan.

Are you in Russia right now? How are things over there?

It’s not like everyone visiting /r/piracy was part of the community itself (which moved to greener pastures). Many visited the sub as part of casual browsing.