Stocks Ending, Production – at a Standstill: russia Is Short of Optic Fiber

russia is facing a new problem in the technology sector: the authorities have been forced to postpone the mandatory localization of optic fiber production for at least two years due to the shutdown of the country’s only plant producing this product. The ministry of industry and trade of the rf has proposed temporarily allowing the use of imported optic fiber for cable production in russia and postponing the requirement for the mandatory use of domestic raw materials until 2028.

The reason for this decision was the shutdown of the “optic fiber systems” plant in saransk – the only enterprise in russia that produced optic fiber. The enterprise ceased operations after critical damage to its equipment, and the government estimates that existing product stocks will soon be depleted. Production is not expected to resume until the end of 2027 at the earliest.

This situation has once again demonstrated the vulnerability of russia’s industry, which is heavily dependent on a limited number of manufacturers and imported technology. Optic fiber is a key element of modern infrastructure – it is used in telecommunications, data centers, drone control systems, energy, and other critical industries. Due to the shutdown of the only factory, the country has effectively lost its own production of strategically important products.

Even a temporary suspension of the localization requirement does not guarantee a solution to the problem. China has already raised prices several times, creating risks of shortages and significant increases in the cost of building telecommunications networks, modernizing power systems, and other infrastructure projects.

Experts point out that before the shutdown of the “optic fiber systems” plant, its products covered about 30-40% of russian demand for optic fiber. The total consumption of this material in the country is estimated at least 15-20 million kilometers per year. As a result, russia has to rely almost entirely on imports, and this further highlights the structural problems of its economy and its technological dependence on external suppliers.

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