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2025: 2-year increase in construction timelines
In mid-March 2025, it became known that the construction of the largest underwater fiber-optic communication line in Russia, Polar Express, was being delayed. The timing of the project, which was originally planned to be completed in 2026, increased by two years.
The Polar Express is a transarctic underwater fiber-optic communication line (VOLS) with a total length of 12,650 km. The system includes 6 pairs of optical fibers with a throughput of 52-104 Tbit/s. The line will connect Murmansk and Vladivostok along the shortest route between Europe and Asia and create an alternative to satellite communications in the northern latitudes, providing the smallest signal delay. The project aims to develop the port infrastructure of the Northern Sea Route and form the region's digital ecosystem.
According to the plan, by 2025 the laying of the cable was supposed to reach the territory Krasnoyarsk Territory (the city of Dixon) and (Saha Republics the village of Tiksi). However, as of March 2025, according to reports, even ComNews the first section of Teriberk - Amderma, which was planned to be built in 2022, has not been completed. The General Director of OJSC "" Superbodies Konstantin Lukin notes that the sanctions had a negative impact on the construction of the fiber-optic line. At the same time, the Deputy Governor (NAO Nenets Autonomous Okrug), the head Department of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Communications of the NAO Anton Lebedev believes that for the effective implementation of the project, close cooperation with telecom market participants is required.
Igor Gudin, chief engineer of LLC, Unity the main telecom operator, said that by March 2025, design work had been completed on the construction of communication lines on the Norilsk Dixon section. However, the timing of the connection of consumers to this channel has not been determined. "[1]
2024: Construction of Russia's largest underwater fiber optic communication line has begun. Its length is 12,650 km
In May 2024, it became known about the start of construction of the largest underwater fiber-optic communication line in Russia, known as the Polar Express, with a length of 12,650 km. The project, implemented by Roscongress, is aimed at creating Internet traffic between Asia and Europe, which will significantly reduce data transmission time. According to the Roscongress report, the new line will provide high speed and reliability of communication.
The Polar Express project will consist of six pairs of optical fibers with a throughput of 52 to 104 Tb/s. Commissioning is scheduled for 2026. The new line will connect Murmansk and Vladivostok, providing the shortest route between Europe and Asia and offering an alternative to satellite communications in northern latitudes.
The report notes that Russia has the potential to become an important telecommunications hub between Europe and Asia, offering a direct route through one country, which reduces delays and increases reliability. By May 2024, the main traffic between Europe and Asia passes through the Red Sea and the United States, which causes delays over 200 ms. The Polar Express will more than halve these delays.
The transarctic highway project has been discussed for several years. One example is the ROTAX project of Polarnet Project Holding, which provided for the construction of a line along the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, connecting the UK, Murmansk, Anadyr, Vladivostok and Tokyo. However, this project failed to attract investors and contractors.
Roscongress experts emphasize that underwater Internet cables are a critical infrastructure for the global economy, and their damage can lead to significant financial losses. In 2024, 99% of intercontinental Internet traffic passes through underwater fiber optic cables, which provide financial transactions worth more than $10 trillion daily.
Special attention in the report is paid to the situation around Taiwan, where there is a high risk of new cases of damage to underwater cables. The region is already the source of numerous infrastructure damage incidents.
According to a representative of Roscongress, the construction of the Polar Express is an important step in the development of Russia's telecommunications infrastructure. This project will help strengthen the country's position in the international market and ensure a reliable and fast connection between Europe and Asia.[2]
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