Chinese suppliers have significantly increased the prices of optical fiber supplied to Russian buyers, as Russia continues to rely on imports following the suspension of operations by its sole domestic producer.
According to industry sources, Russia’s only local optical fiber manufacturer has been inactive since May last year due to attacks by Ukrainian forces.
The suspension has rendered Russia entirely dependent on Chinese imports for the critical material used in both telecommunications infrastructure and military drone systems.
Industry sources report that Chinese suppliers have increased prices for Russian buyers by roughly 2.5 to 4 times since the beginning of 2026. According to Leonid Konik of the telecoms consultancy ComNews Group, the cost in China of the widely used G.652D fiber rose from $2.33 per kilometer in early 2025 to $3.60 by year’s end, reaching $5.80 in January 2026.
Analysts and industry experts attribute the sharp price hikes to rising demand, particularly the use of fiber-optic lines on the battlefield to control drones over distances of up to 50 kilometers.
In 2025, Russia’s share of global optical fiber consumption rose to 10.5%, a sharp increase from under 1% in earlier years, and it imported nearly 60 million kilometers of fiber during that period.
Prior to the shutdown, Russia’s Optic Fiber Systems facility produced approximately 4 million kilometers (2.5 million miles) of optical fiber each year, supplying around 20 domestic cable manufacturers that relied on the material for fiber-optic cable production.
Industry leaders also noted that suppliers are now demanding full prepayment, and analysts warned that the increased procurement costs are likely to drive up prices for Russian telecommunications infrastructure and associated services.
At the same time, major buyers reported that they are reassessing suppliers and contract terms in response to what they described as a sudden surge in Chinese pricing.
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