Finland is preparing for a major infrastructure change that has linked the two states for decades. Starting in 2025, the Finnish energy company Fingrid will cease maintenance of high-voltage power line (HVPL) towers through which a significant portion of foreign internet traffic enters Russia. A corresponding warning has already been sent to Russian telecommunications operators.
Technical and Economic Logic of the Severance
According to RBC-Ukraine, citing Kommersant, the Finns plan not only to disconnect fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) but also to completely dismantle the towers. Experts in the Russian telecommunications market explain that the decision is dictated by economics. Since 2022, electricity supplies from Russia to Finland have been halted, and maintaining the infrastructure solely for the needs of telecom operators has become unprofitable for both Fingrid and Russian companies.
Scale of the Threat to the Russian Internet
The consequences of this decision could be significant. According to sources in the network market, since 2022, about 60–70% of all foreign internet traffic entering Russia has been routed through Finland. Furthermore, up to 30% of all physical communication lines connecting the two countries run through HVPL towers.
Seeking Alternatives
Aware of the risks, Russian telecommunications operators are already holding active negotiations with Finnish telecom companies. The main goal of the dialogue is to find and organize alternative data transmission routes that will allow connectivity with the global network to be maintained without using the dismantled energy towers.
Sanction Pressure on the IT Sector
The situation with internet traffic is occurring against the backdrop of tightening international isolation of the Russian technology sector. The European Union has imposed sanctions against the company VK, as well as against the "Communication Platform" managing the state application Max. Both structures are accused of assisting Russian intelligence services and conducting surveillance on users.
Meanwhile, a high-profile criminal case is unfolding in Russia against Telegram founder Pavel Durov. He has been charged with aiding terrorism, and the entrepreneur has been placed on an international wanted list. These events vividly demonstrate how geopolitical tension is transforming into concrete technical and legal barriers for the digital space.
