In early December, students of IT classes at Moscow School No. 2086 got a behind-the-scenes look at how the national internet stays up and running during a guided tour of the offices of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, the Technical Center of Internet, MSK-IX, and the Smart Internet Foundation. Together, these organizations support the smooth functioning of the RuNet and help maintain a stable and reliable national digital environment.
The tour was opened by Alexander Ilyin, Technical Director of MSK-IX. He invited the participants to visit Russia’s one-of-a-kind Internet History Museum, located in the company’s office. At first glance, the exhibition is modest – just a few display cases with equipment from different periods. Yet these devices vividly trace the evolution of the Russian internet, from the earliest communications technologies to modern systems developed by Russian engineers. As Alexander noted, most of the exhibits were assembled by MSK-IX employees themselves, highlighting not only the progress of engineering solutions but also the meaningful contribution of individual engineers to the development of the country’s digital infrastructure.
After the museum visit, the schoolchildren took part in a series of meetings with leading company experts. Pavel Khramtsov, Head of DNS at MSK-IX, spoke about the organization’s key projects, including the Regional IX program to launch traffic exchange points across Russia, the adoption of new security and data protection standards such as DNSSEC, and the development of traffic monitoring systems like NetFlow. He stressed the critical role of resilient internal internet infrastructure, noting that without dependable domestic communication channels and exchange points, external threats or technical failures could seriously disrupt local services and applications. Strong internal solutions, he explained, help ensure that Russian digital services remain stable even during global crises or under external pressure.
Pavel Khramtsov also noted that MSK-IX works closely with the country’s leading technical universities, including Bauman Moscow State Technical University and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Together, they run a range of educational initiatives designed to train highly qualified specialists for the future of the Russian internet. As part of these programs, students help develop innovative network technology solutions, study network architecture challenges, and create prototypes of promising products aimed at improving the quality of internet services.
Nikita Novikov, a project manager at the Technical Center of Internet, spoke about the role of the center as the operator of Russia’s national top-level domains and the work of the domain name registry.
“Without the domain name registry, the internet simply wouldn’t function. The technical operator is an ‘invisible hero’ who keeps the online space stable and secure,” Nikita stressed. “Our work is both important and engaging and may appeal to those considering a career in engineering. Future specialists will work with distributed systems, cryptography, and big data.”
Georgy Georgievsky, Head of Registrar and User Relations at the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ, told the participants about the origins and development of the internet in Russia and outlined the center’s current projects. These include scaling the .RU and .РФ domains, promoting universal acceptance of Cyrillic domain names and email addresses, countering cyberthreats, strengthening the stability of the RuNet infrastructure, and running a wide range of educational initiatives for children, schoolchildren, students, teachers, parents, and professionals working in the domain industry and network infrastructure.
Coordination Center’s Chief Analyst Yevgeny Pankov spoke with the students about how threats on the RuNet have evolved over time. He noted that although the overall number of fraud cases is declining, phishing schemes continue to grow more sophisticated and varied. Yevgeny encouraged the students to use basic cybersecurity measures, such as antivirus software and two-factor authentication, and to stay especially alert online, particularly during the holiday season.
During the tour, the schoolchildren explored not only the technological “inner workings” but also the fascinating history of the site where the TRIO business center – the hub of the network “triumvirate” – now stands. Viktoria Bunchuk, Head of Social Projects at the Coordination Center and coordinator of educational initiatives at the Smart Internet Foundation, shared the story of the site. She noted that the business center and the nearby hospital are enclosed by a distinctive fence, which, according to local legend, was designed by the renowned artist Mikhail Vrubel.
The event concluded with a cozy tea party at the Coordination Center office, complete with refreshments and souvenirs from the host companies and the Coordination Center’s educational initiative, Explore the Internet & Govern It. MSK-IX PR Manager Anastasia Kuzmina emphasized that choosing a career in internet technology means entering a field that is both complex and incredibly dynamic. It’s a space where ambitious ideas can come to life and where you become part of a close-knit team of professionals driven by shared passion. Even as careers evolve across companies and industries, a common goal – the desire to shape a better digital future – keeps like-minded specialists connected.
