russia Has Left Its Villages Without Internet

The problem of access to high-speed internet is becoming more acute in russia: a significant part of the fiber-optic networks has reached the end of its service life, while new fiber is practically not being directed towards civilian needs. In 2025, the warranty period will expire for more than half of the trunk cables on the west-east direction.

By 2030, russia will need to replace more than 400,000 km of fiber optic lines laid in the early 2000s. The cost of upgrading the infrastructure is estimated at hundreds of billions of rubles, while the capacity of key trunk lines is already approaching critical limits.

Against this background, fiber optic supplies from China have risen sharply. In 2025, russia consumed about 10% of the world’s optical fiber, largely due to the mass production of FPV drones controlled by cable, which are resistant to electronic warfare. Such drones are actively used in the war against Ukraine and account for up to 15% of global demand for fiber optics.

At the same time, russia’s civilian population, especially in rural areas, is without normal internet access. Residents of dozens of settlements are forced to use only mobile communications with traffic limits and a sharp drop in speed after they are exhausted.