Mikhail Mishustin at the National Centre RUSSIA: developing homegrown technologies is a matter of national competitiveness
Russia has made significant progress in its digital transformation — from developing telecommunications infrastructure, including 5G, broadband internet and satellite communications, and data centres to the large-scale deployment of autonomous systems, digital platforms and artificial intelligence in the economy and everyday life. Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin spoke about this at the "Digital Solutions" Forum, held at the National Centre RUSSIA from 6 to 10 October. He addressed the plenary session "Results. Opportunities. Prospects", dedicated to the transition from implementing individual technologies to their systematic use in the economy and people's everyday lives.
"The "Digital Solutions" IT Forum is being held at the National Centre RUSSIA for the second time. It brings together representatives of government bodies, business, developers and customers — everyone who contributes to strengthening the domestic digital industry. This is a strategic task that requires our closest attention, including in order to achieve the national development goals approved by our President to improve the quality of life of our citizens," the Prime Minister said.
Mikhail Mishustin noted that the digital sector remains an important part of the national economy: the combined turnover of digital companies exceeded 21 trillion roubles in 2025, representing growth of almost 20%. The Prime Minister highlighted several key areas of work, including further development of Russia's telecommunications industry. Last year, the communications services market grew by 13% to 2.5 trillion roubles, while the number of base stations increased by almost 9% to 1 million, and 4G networks now cover virtually all households.
He also recalled that, on the President's initiative, a programme to eliminate digital inequality is being implemented so that all citizens can access high-quality communications even in the country's most remote areas. Over the past six years, communications services have reached thousands of small settlements, with more than 1,500 additional settlements to be connected this year.
"In September, on the instructions of the head of state, we launched 5G networks — initially using existing LTE frequencies. The additional spectrum required was allocated free of charge to all operators of the 'Big Four', so that the new communications standard could operate in Moscow, St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and dozens of other major cities. It is very important to accelerate the transition to domestic equipment in this area, and our companies are gradually but steadily addressing this task: three companies have already produced more than 10,000 base stations. We now need to lay the groundwork for next-generation networks. I am confident that our domestic developers and manufacturers are capable of doing this," Mikhail Mishustin stressed.
According to the Prime Minister, the wired broadband access segment is also developing at a strong pace, growing by almost a quarter over the year. Large-scale projects are under way to build fibre-optic lines, including in remote areas of the Arctic and Yakutia and along the Northern Sea Route from the Murmansk Region to Vladivostok.
Mikhail Mishustin stressed the need to create additional incentives for internet providers to invest in modern gigabit infrastructure. The Prime Minister also said that a constellation of more than 30 spacecraft is already operating in low Earth orbit to provide high-speed internet anywhere in the country, while testing of a satellite communications terminal for railway transport will begin shortly. He expressed confidence that the number of such communications projects would grow and provide an impetus to other sectors of the economy.
"A strong telecommunications industry is one of the infrastructural foundations of the digital economy. A developed network of data centres is equally important, and its creation is another joint task for both the state and business. [...] Data centres are also essential for artificial intelligence today. Countries seeking leadership in this area are systematically restricting the transfer of key technologies, thereby reinforcing other countries' dependence on their solutions. We cannot allow such a scenario for ourselves. Therefore, supporting and developing our own technologies today is a matter of national competitiveness and the country's digital sovereignty. Russia continues to compete in the development of large foundation models, and we have several of them. Our domestic engineering teams are achieving impressive results, and we will continue to create the conditions for developing and applying such innovations in Russia," Mikhail Mishustin said.
He stressed that companies need to move more actively towards domestic solutions. At the same time, for critical infrastructure, the Government will determine where only sovereign models may be used, with a transition period to allow enterprises to prepare.
Mikhail Mishustin noted that the current year has seen the active spread of AI agents — programmes capable of independently carrying out complex tasks. The next stage will be the creation of entire ecosystems based on them. The Prime Minister also pointed out that the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence requires government processes to be restructured, and that institutions at all levels need access to such solutions without having to build their own computing capacity.
"Russia is now creating truly breakthrough solutions that will change the face of the future, and they are already beginning to be actively deployed. This is the result of joint efforts by business and the state. I am referring to autonomous civilian systems. They are used in various sectors, for example, in forestry to monitor the environmental situation, to support search-and-rescue operations, in our agricultural sector and, in some regions, for delivering goods," the Prime Minister continued.
Mikhail Mishustin said that autonomous trucks are already taking to the roads, with their total mileage exceeding 18 million kilometres since 2024. In Moscow, around 100 autonomous taxis are available to order, while the number of delivery robots across the country has exceeded 1,000.
Online sales accounted for more than one fifth of retail turnover last year, exceeding 13 trillion roubles. Around 70% of this amount is generated through platforms. For the fifth consecutive year, Russia has ranked first among the world's 20 largest markets in terms of e-commerce growth.
The Prime Minister stressed that digital platforms are also being actively introduced in industry, agriculture, transport and logistics, becoming an important factor in the resilience of the economy. Their uninterrupted operation therefore needs to be ensured. He said that, on the President's instructions, the Government had already begun preparing a strategy for the development of autonomous systems and digital platforms.
He also noted that Russia has already developed its own language models, e-commerce platforms, search engines and browsers to ensure the country's independence from foreign products.
The Prime Minister also addressed cybersecurity, noting that the widespread adoption of electronic services had required a response. The number of crimes fell by almost a third in the first eight months of this year, thanks to the work of law enforcement agencies and the establishment of a unified anti-fraud platform connecting banks, telecommunications operators and digital platforms. They exchange data in real time, making it possible to suspend suspicious transactions simultaneously at all levels.
At the same time, according to Mikhail Mishustin, Russian companies are actively involved in training specialists in the sector. The private sector is playing an active role in IT education: accredited companies allocate at least 3% of the funds saved through tax benefits to support specialised education, including internships. Around 1,000 agreements have already been signed with universities, colleges and schools, covering more than half a million schoolchildren, students and teachers. Total investment has exceeded 10 billion roubles.
The Prime Minister also announced the launch of new projects to introduce a modern model for training world-class IT specialists, based on advanced training, close cooperation with business and a focus on real-world enterprise needs. Fifty-two universities are already participating in these programmes, 180 educational programmes have been developed, and more than 10,000 people have enrolled in them this year alone.
The plenary session "Results. Opportunities. Prospects" brought together government officials, heads and representatives of IT companies and industry experts. It provided a platform for discussing the next stage of digital transformation — the shift from individual technological solutions to systemic changes creating new opportunities for the economy, business and citizens.
Speaking at the forum, Deputy Prime Minister and Chief of the Government Staff of the Russian Federation Dmitry Grigorenko noted that the development of IT is now directly linked to the quality of everyday life. Digital services are becoming a familiar part of work, communication and everyday tasks. According to him, communications and the internet have already become basic needs, while digital platforms make it possible to access many services without leaving home. He said that one of the industry's most important achievements was that its results could be seen not only in figures and on screens, but also in the lives of millions of people.
"Digital technologies have long gone beyond screens and become part of the everyday lives of millions of people. Behind the services we use every day are specialists who create convenient solutions and can see the results of their work here and now <...> IT professionals create essential services for citizens. That is your achievement! There is a reason why people say that being an IT professional in Russia is cool. It really is, because you can see the results of your work not only on a screen, but also in real life, here and now," Dmitry Grigorenko said.
The session also featured Vladimir Kiriyenko, Director General of VK; Denis Baranov, Director General of Positive Technologies; Andrei Kuzyayev, President of ER-Telecom Holding; Sergei Anokhin, Director General of Beeline; and Ivan Guz, Avito Managing Partner.
The experts discussed the year's key digital solutions, their results and impact. They also addressed development prospects in areas including artificial intelligence, digital platforms and services, educational and entertainment services, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.
On the same day, Mikhail Mishustin visited the "Digital Solutions" exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA. Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia Maksut Shadayev told the Prime Minister about the exposition, which showcases developments by domestic companies.
At the Gosuslugi stand, the Prime Minister was shown interactive zones including the "Red Button" for protection against fraudsters and the "Bureaucracy Shredder" art installation. At the VK stand, he was shown various scenarios for using the company's services, while at the Yandex zone, he explored the Rover R 4.0, lidar vision, Alice AI and other developments. The exposition brings together six interactive zones and is being held as part of the forum's business programme.
The "Digital Solutions" IT Forum is taking place from 6 to 10 October 2026. This year, the event has acquired international status and brought together representatives of government, business and the IT community. Its business programme includes more than 120 sessions and presentations by over 700 speakers.
The forum's discussions cover five key areas: digital infrastructure — telecommunications, data centres, IT equipment and smart home solutions; digital platforms — marketplaces, aggregators and classified platforms, online banking and Gosuslugi; artificial intelligence and cloud services — AI technologies, cloud platforms and autonomous unmanned systems; cybersecurity and software — information security solutions, combating cyber fraud, Russian software and system and application software; and educational platforms and entertainment services — from digital skills training centres and career platforms to social networks, online cinemas and gaming platforms.
The first "Digital Solutions" IT Forum was held at the National Centre RUSSIA from 12 to 15 November 2025. It attracted more than 15,000 visitors, making it the largest industry event of the year. Following the forum, Mikhail Mishustin issued a number of instructions aimed at developing Russia's domestic IT industry and strengthening the country's technological sovereignty.
The event is organised by the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia with the support of the Government of the Russian Federation. The project operator is ANO "National Priorities", while ANO "Digital Economy" is the operator of the forum's business programme.
