The Ministry of Industry and Trade has prepared a draft resolution that postpones the mandatory requirement to use Russian optical fiber in cables to confirm their "domestic origin" to 2028, Kommersant reports. It is proposed to consider a cable produced in the Russian Federation from foreign optical fibers as Russian until June 1, 2026.
The reason is the shutdown of the only plant in the EAEU, Optical Fiber Systems (OVS) in Mordovia. The enterprise ceased operations after critical equipment damage, and warehouse stocks, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, "will run out in the near future." Production is not expected to recover until the end of 2027.
There is a possibility that by 2028, the domestic industry will not be able to restore and ensure the production of optical fiber in the volume and quality necessary to meet market needs, which will lead to a shortage of fiber and an increase in cost.
Market participants confirm the seriousness of the situation: due to high demand, prices for foreign raw materials have already increased significantly. Earlier, the Elektrokabel association warned that the current requirement for the mandatory use of domestic optical fiber is "technologically impossible" and may block purchases for critical communications and energy facilities.