Russia aims for homegrown 28 nm chips by 2030

Russia hopes to ship locally fabricated 28-nanometer chips by the decade's end. MCST (МЦСТ), the SPARC-based Elbrus CPU line developer, sits at the heart of this effort. Deputy Director Konstantin Trushkin says the first production fabs should go online between 2028 and 2030, giving MCST enough runway to release server-class processors built on domestic silicon.

The domestic equipment chain is catching up from far behind. In March 2025, state-backed ZNTC completed a 350-nanometer photolithography tool and aims to demo a 130-nanometer version in 2026. Neither unit has reached mass production. Today, Russia can prototype only at those legacy nodes; anything finer needs outsourcing or grey imports, like second-hand ASML PAS 5500 scanners.

Even with a 28 nm fab on schedule, the industry must still align process recipes, secure materials, and enforce quality control. Trushkin notes that moving a complex chip design into a new plant demands an experienced partner who can debug silicon and tooling in tandem.

Licensing barriers rule out x86 and Arm IP for domestic mass production. MCST backs Elbrus, its in-house VLIW architecture, which extracts more work per unit of silicon area. Security concerns strengthen its case: officials view imported processors as unverifiable—and thus a risk to national systems.

Hardware alone won’t make Elbrus mainstream. InfoTeKS deputy head Dmitry Gusev recalls abandoning Elbrus six years ago because too few engineers could port code to the platform. That skills gap remains. Software houses will keep fighting over the same limited talent pool unless universities and training centers expand Elbrus coursework.

Assuming a 28 nm fab is up and running by 2028, MCST suggests market-ready all-Russian server processors could be ready by 2031. That timeline hinges on a reliable production partner; proven process flows, and a supportive software ecosystem—none of which is guaranteed today.