DUSHANBE, March 2. /TASS/. Russia's Ministry of Digital Development intends to conduct pilot tests of 5G communication networks using Russian base stations in cities with over a million inhabitants in 2025, Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadayev said on Thursday.

"We expect a pilot test to begin in 2025 in cities with more than one million people," Shadayev said.

In January 2023, Russian telecom operators entered into forward contracts with Russian manufacturers of base stations for communication networks for over 100 bln rubles ($1.32 bln). The total volume of deliveries until 2030 will include around 75,000 base stations, and starting from 2028 operators will have to purchase domestic base stations only. Currently, 5G zones have been launched in an experimental mode in several Russian regions.