Russia’s Aging Fiber Optic Network Threatens Internet Access | Ukraine news

In the Russian Federation, access to high-speed internet for the population is becoming an increasingly urgent issue.

This is reported by Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, with Ukrinform confirming the information.

According to intelligence, a significant portion of fiber-optic networks has already surpassed its service life, and new fiber is hardly being directed toward civilian needs.

Aging Infrastructure and the Scale of Modernization Needs

In 2025, the service life of most backbone cables along the west-to-east corridor had expired, increasing the risk of service disruptions.

By 2030, Russia will need to replace more than 400,000 kilometers of fiber-optic lines laid in the early 2000s. This will require hundreds of billions of rubles in investments and will intensify the capacity problem.

At the same time, the costs of upgrading the infrastructure remain a major budget item, and the current capacity of the key trunk lines is close to a critical threshold.

Under these conditions, demand for imported fiber-optic products from China is growing.

In 2025, Russia accounted for about 10% of the world’s fiber-optic cable volume – a sizable share, largely due to the mass production of FPV drones with cable-guided control, resistant to electronic warfare.

Such unmanned systems are widely used in the course of the armed conflict and account for a significant portion of global demand for fiber – up to 15%.

In the long run, the population, especially in rural areas, continues to face limited access to reliable internet.

Residents of many localities are forced to rely on mobile networks with data caps and sharp speed reductions after reaching the cap, according to intelligence.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Roskomnadzor last year recorded a significant increase in internet content blocks issued by the authorities.

Prospects and Conclusions

Analysts emphasize the need for a comprehensive modernization of network infrastructure, diversification of supply, and the adoption of alternative technologies to reduce dependence on imported solutions and improve the population’s access to networks.

The government and intelligence agencies emphasize the importance of stable digital infrastructure and the need for transparent monitoring of network access situations in the regions.

In the future, they expect updates to plans for upgrading fiber-optic lines and monitoring demand dynamics in the global fiber market.