MegaFon Launches New Modular Data Center in Russia’s Far East
The new facility is designed to improve digital service quality across the Khabarovsk region and neighboring territories.
Data Center Demand Continues to Climb
Data center construction has become a strategic priority for Russia’s leading telecom operators. These facilities are critical to processing the accelerating flow of user data and maintaining network stability as traffic volumes increase.
MegaFon recently announced the launch of a new data center in Russia’s Khabarovsk region. The facility is expected to strengthen the operator’s digital infrastructure in the Far East and support the rollout of new services. Built using a modular architecture, the site allows phased capacity expansion up to one megawatt and 110 racks.
The company states that the new data center meets modern standards for reliability and security. It is equipped with redundancy systems that enhance resilience against unexpected incidents. Equally important, it enables maintenance and technical upgrades without shutting down equipment, ensuring uninterrupted data transmission for users.
Full-Scale Operational Security
All systems at the Khabarovsk data center are monitored 24/7. The facility is also equipped with a comprehensive security system, including automated fire suppression designed to protect both server halls and auxiliary premises.
“Building a modern data center is the foundation for digital development across the entire Far Eastern region. Its capacity meets current data processing and storage needs in the Khabarovsk region and adjacent territories, while providing headroom to accommodate growing user demand,” said Alexey Titov, Technical Director of PJSC MegaFon.
Part of a Broader Infrastructure Strategy
MegaFon notes that its decision to build a proprietary data center network was driven by the rapid growth of user data volumes. The operator needed to ensure that its infrastructure could handle both current workloads and future demand. The company’s nationwide data center network now includes 115 facilities. In 2025, additional expandable sites were launched in Tver, Yekaterinburg and St. Petersburg.
Market analysts say Russia’s data center sector is experiencing steady annual growth of approximately 15% to 20%. Expansion is unfolding along two tracks. Large enterprises are developing data centers to support their own operations, including telecom providers, retailers, e-commerce companies and media organizations.
A second group consists of investors viewing data centers as an attractive asset class. Several developers have shifted focus toward this segment rather than investing in office real estate. According to OBIT, a fully loaded and efficiently managed, properly designed data center can reach payback in roughly 10 years, with average annual returns of about 10% of the facility’s cost.
Further Market Expansion Ahead
Domestic production of modular data centers is also expanding. GreenMDC, a developer and manufacturer of modular data centers, recently tripled its production capacity. The company’s industrial site has expanded to 4,500 square meters, enabling shorter build times and simultaneous production of multiple large-scale, scalable models.
Russia’s data center capacity and geographic presence will continue to expand across various use cases. Market demand, driven by digitalization, supports sustained expansion. At the same time, efforts are being made to localize data center construction as much as possible, reducing reliance on foreign equipment suppliers and reinforcing infrastructure sovereignty.
