On May 21, 2025, the Russian Association of Networks and Services (RANS) held the 13th youth forum titled Ethical, Cultural, and Civilizational Aspects of Working on the Internet.
The forum’s agenda covered a range of key topics, including the implementation of support for internationalized domain names and email addresses, ensuring the technological independence of Russia’s internet infrastructure, and the development and deployment of software and hardware solutions for critical information infrastructure (CII). Discussions also focused on the training of specialists to uphold trust and security in the operation of CII systems. The forum took place at RANS’s base department at Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI), moderated by Alexander Ivanyuk, Chairman of the RANS Executive Committee.
At the opening of the event, Yevgeny Khasin, Acting Director of the Department of Cybersecurity at the Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation, delivered a welcoming address. He highlighted the particular significance of the issues on the 13th RANS Youth Forum agenda. The forum has traditionally served as a key platform for discussing the most urgent challenges related to advancing the state policy in the areas of technological sovereignty and cybersecurity.
One of the key highlights of the forum was RANS’s accession to the Memorandum on the Development of Support for Internet Addressing Tools in the State Language of the Russian Federation. The Memorandum outlines the following objectives:
- To support the development of the internet using the state language of the Russian Federation;
- To promote the expansion of support for internet addressing tools, including domain names and email addresses, that incorporate characters from the state language;
- To encourage the development of software that accommodates internet addressing tools using state language symbols;
- To help ensure equal access for all Russian internet users, including those unfamiliar with the Latin alphabet or the English language, in using internet addressing tools;
- To support the exploration and implementation of promising projects aimed at expanding the use of internet addressing tools with characters from the alphabets of the official languages of the republics within the Russian Federation.
Director of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ Andrey Vorobyev delivered a report titled Multilingualism as the Basis for an Inclusive Approach in the Digital Space. In his presentation, he recounted the history of the national top-level domain .РФ, which celebrated its 15th anniversary on May 12, 2025. Vorobyev provided detailed statistics on the growth of the .РФ domain zone, with a particular focus on supporting the languages of Russia’s indigenous peoples. He also highlighted international internet language statistics, underscoring the significance of the Russian-speaking segment within the global online community. He emphasized the necessity of strengthening the presence of the Russian language and the languages of Russia’s peoples in global cyberspace, advocating the strategic importance of cultural diversity and linguistic equality in the digital economy of the future.
Key projects of the Coordination Center focused on developing the Russian digital space and promoting national identity online were also showcased. These include the Поддерживаю.РФ initiative, which aims to enhance the infrastructure for Cyrillic domains and email; the CC Academy project, dedicated to training specialists of international caliber in internet governance; and the educational program Summer School of Internet Governance, which fosters the training of experts in digital policy and international internet coordination.
Daniil Sorokin, Director of Programs for Government Relations and Technical Regulation at NPO KIS, delivered a presentation on the regulatory and standardization challenges involved in developing trusted software and hardware systems. Special emphasis was placed on the work of Technical Committee No. 167, which is responsible for establishing requirements and standards for the security of critical information infrastructure. Daniil highlighted existing challenges related to terminological consistency, stressing the need to systematize concepts and establish uniform criteria for evaluating the reliability of trusted technical solutions. He also emphasized the telecommunications industry’s urgent demand for qualified professionals with deep expertise and experience in developing and integrating trusted software and hardware complexes for critical information infrastructure. The shortage of such specialists was noted as a significant barrier to the effective adoption of innovative technological solutions in both the public and private sectors.
Vyacheslav Malinochkin, Manager of Educational Projects at RANS, announced the launch of recruitment for the master’s program titled Trusted Software and Hardware for Ensuring the Security of Critical Information Infrastructure, developed by RANS’s basic department, Electronic Data Exchange Technologies. The program is designed to equip specialists with the professional competencies required to safeguard critical information infrastructure in today’s environment. A key feature of the course is the hands-on training with modern tools and methods to enhance the security of critical infrastructure. During his presentation, Malinochkin provided a detailed overview of the curriculum structure, the objectives of practical sessions, and the potential areas for student internships. The program will be offered on a tuition basis, with the option for top-performing students to have their tuition costs partially reimbursed through paid internships with organizations affiliated with the Association.
Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bazalt SPO Alexey Smirnov highlighted the significance of the new master’s program introduced by RANS’s basic department, particularly its practical component focused on developing skills in software development, assembly, optimization, and porting to domestic microprocessor architectures. He also underscored the importance of IT specialists acquiring advanced foreign language proficiency. According to Smirnov, knowledge of English and other global languages enables Russian professionals to actively engage with international communities, effectively collaborate with developers worldwide, and contribute to the establishment of common standards and best practices in software development.
