Russia Plans a Digital Twin for the Irtysh River
A new initiative to build a virtual model of a cross-border river underscores Russia’s push to lead in high-tech innovation and AI-driven navigation.
On the platform “Russia—Land of Opportunity,” experts proposed creating a digital twin of the Irtysh River, which flows through Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. The project envisions a virtual replica of the river paired with an AI-powered navigation system to optimize vessel movement toward Kazakhstan and China, as well as towards the Northern Sea Route. Officials expect the system to improve navigation safety by 20%, boost travel speed by 10–15%, and increase cargo traffic by 15–20%.
The Irtysh project continues Russia’s broader technological drive to create digital twins of complex systems. Similar virtual copies have already been built for regions, enterprises, a stellar navigator, and even an orbital station.
Digital twins allow researchers and engineers to forecast system behavior, simulate different scenarios, run virtual testing, and monitor conditions in real time.
