Russia started building high-speed internet infrastructure in the Arctic in order to be used by large ports and oil and gas companies, according to the Federal Sea and River Transportation Agency. The underwater fiber optic cable will stretch across 10,000 km from the northwestern port of Murmansk to the Pacific port of Vladivostok. The state is expected to allocate 65 billion rubles ($850 million) for the project. The contract was reportedly signed in 2019. Andrei Kuropyatnikov, the head of Rosmorrechflot’s communications subsidiary Morsvyazsputnik said the project is not expected to recoup its expenses. The first leg of the underwater fiber optic communication line is expected to be laid down in 2021 and the entire line will be fully built by 2026.
