Sep. 11, 2026 Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency Russian mobile phone operators have launched their first commercial 5G networks across 16 major cities following years of regulatory disputes and Western sanctions, the Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Ministry announced Friday. The roll-out, ordered by President Vladimir Putin, comes amid regular mobile internet disruptions that authorities say are needed to thwart daily Ukrainian drone attacks across the country. All four of Russia’s major mobile operators launched 5G in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg. Coverage in other major cities varies by operator. The Digital Ministry plans to extend 5G coverage to 50 more cities by the end of this year, noting that 4G mobile networks already cover 90% of Russia’s inhabited territory and that domestic mobile internet traffic has more than tripled in six years. Friday’s launch aims to bring high-speed internet access to 10 million people, officials said. In Russia, the roll-out of 5G has been complicated by the fact that the military and security services have maintained exclusive control of the 3.4-3.8 GHz frequency range used for 5G internationally. Telecoms providers have unsuccessfully fought for access to that frequency range. Instead, major mobile phone operators are allowed to use the 4.63-4.99 GHz frequency range, which means iPhones will still be unable to connect to 5G in Russia since they operate at a lower frequency. The Digital Ministry said Android users will gain access to 5G “in the near future,” while noting that access for iPhone owners “depends on a decision by the Apple corporation.” In addition to the longstanding dispute between mobile operators and Russian security services, the roll-out of 5G was hampered by telecom equipment giants Nokia and Ericsson exiting Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Read more about: Technology Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russia Boasts That Sanctions Helped It Avoid Global Microsoft Outage “The situation with Microsoft once again shows the importance of import substitution of foreign software,” authorities in Moscow said. 2 Min read opinion Ben Dubow Why Putin’s Faith in Russia’s ‘Homegrown Midjourney’ Is Misplaced Russia’s AI image generators may not be an antidote to Western narratives and are far less sophisticated than the alternatives. 4 Min read Putin Says Russia Must Rival 'Dangerous' Western AI "The monopolistic domination of such foreign creations in Russia is unacceptable, dangerous and inadmissible," he said. 2 Min read opinion Ben Dubow Putin Wants Russia to Win the Artificial Intelligence Race. Here’s Why it Won’t With crippling sanctions, tech talent driven away and restrictive information laws, Moscow’s dreams of AI supremacy may never come true. 5 Min read
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How 9/11 turned a terrorist attack into a generation of war
• What happened: On September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths and led to the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, sig...