VEB.RF and Alfa-Bank will grant Atlas LLC a syndicated loan to build and operate the new Trans-Eurasian Fiber-Optic Communication Line (TEA NEXT), with a capacity of 48 optical fiber pairs and a length of approximately 11,700 km. The syndicated loan agreement for financing the project under the "Project Finance Factory" program was signed during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2025.
The TEA NEXT project spans 27 regions. Along its route, branches will be established to traffic exchange points located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and Novosibirsk. The total project cost is 28.1 billion rubles.
Daniil Algulyan, Deputy Chairman of VEB.RF:
"The fiber-optic communication line under construction will cross the entire territory of Russia from west to east, ensuring high-speed data transmission over vast distances. The project's implementation will contribute to the country's economic growth, regional development, and improved quality of life for citizens. VEB.RF, together with Alfa-Bank—our new partner under the 'Project Finance Factory' program—will provide a syndicated loan of 24.4 billion rubles for up to 10.5 years. VEB.RF's participation will amount to 6.5 billion rubles. Telecommunications, information technology, and data processing are priority areas for VEB.RF. The project directly aligns with the objectives of the communications industry development strategy until 2030 and the country's national development goals."
Vladimir Voyeykov, Director of Large and Medium Business at Alfa-Bank:
"Alfa-Bank has been involved in this strategic project since 2023 as an investor. The TEA NEXT fiber-optic communication line is the Russian segment of the project, which we are also financing. This project will enable high-speed connectivity between Asia and Europe. We are very pleased that this large-scale initiative has been included in the 'Project Finance Factory' program. For Alfa-Bank, this is the first participation in the program. We are confident it will mark the beginning of fruitful cooperation between Alfa-Bank and VEB.RF in financing strategic projects."
Alexander Ratushny, CEO of Atlas LLC:
"The TEA NEXT project, implemented by Atlas, is perhaps the largest infrastructure project in the telecommunications sector in the post-Soviet area in recent years. Upon completion, Russian and international telecom operators will have the opportunity to lease dark fibers to provide communication services along the shortest route from Vladivostok to Europe across Russia. This is a fundamentally new and market-driven business model. A key milestone in the project's implementation is securing funding from the Russian VEB.RF and Alfa-Bank."
Maxim Kolesnikov, First Deputy Minister of Economic Development:
"The project to build and operate a new fiber-optic backbone with a distance about 11,700 km from Russia's western to eastern borders is of strategic importance to our country. Fiber-optic data transmission is the most advanced technology, enabling high-speed, high-capacity data transfer over vast distances with minimal quality loss. Thanks to this project's implementation under the 'Project Finance Factory,' major Russian cities—Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novorossiysk, Nakhodka, and Khabarovsk—will be equipped with high-quality and secure communication lines."
The TEA NEXT project will introduce a fundamentally new set of services based on leasing physical infrastructure to establish communication services between Europe and Asia. The key advantage is that TEA NEXT will offer transit capabilities unavailable in any existing terrestrial lines—features commonly used in subsea intercontinental communication models. Additionally, all major Russian telecom operators will be able to utilize the new fiber-optic backbone.
The project's implementation involves the use of domestically produced components, supporting local manufacturers and stimulating production in Russia.
The new fiber-optic line's capacity will serve as a transit resource for Asia-Europe connectivity and for Russian operators within Russia. The TEA NEXT route will follow a completely new, optimized path. The project holds particular significance for linking Asia and Europe, offering a reliable alternative to subsea cable systems passing through the Indian Ocean and Egypt.
The new fiber-optic line uses G.654.E optical fibers, the first of their kind deployed in Russia, enabling high-speed data transmission with a total capacity of 19.2 Tbit/s per fiber pair. It is also compatible with all future DWDM backbone technologies. Signal latency along the Moscow-Vladivostok route will not exceed 100 ms, while Moscow-Kyakhta will be under 60 ms.
