MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. Active deployment of 5G networks at domestic base stations will begin in large Russian cities in 2026, Russian Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadayev, told reporters.

"The active deployment of 5G networks at domestic base stations will begin in 2026 in large Russian cities," the minister said, noting that preparatory work to launch the networks will take place in 2025.

Earlier, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that the government would additionally allocate about 3.5 bln rubles ($38.61 mln) to make base stations to facilitate the transition to 5G networks for operators.

In January 2023, Russian telecom operators entered into forward contracts with Russian manufacturers of base stations for communication networks worth more than 100 bln rubles ($1.1 bln). The total volume of supplies until 2030 will be about 75,000 base stations, and from 2028 operators will have to purchase exclusively domestic base stations.