The Russian Accounts Chamber reported that telecom operators underpaid the Universal Service Reserve (USR) by 2.58 ₽ billion between 2023 and 2025. The shortfall occurred because operators calculate their mandatory contributions independently, and the Ministry of Digital Development does not verify the accuracy of these figures.
Audits revealed that every second operator reports lower revenue to the Ministry than to the Federal Tax Service. In 2024, only 472 out of 4,600 active operators reported their contributions correctly. Additionally, about one-third of licensed operators consistently report zero revenue, a claim deemed inaccurate by Roskomnadzor for over 1,000 companies annually.
Payment concentration is high, with 50 operators contributing 93% of the total reserve in 2025. The Ministry of Digital Development currently lacks a formal monitoring procedure, relying on manual arithmetic checks. Following the audit, the Ministry increased its 2026 revenue forecast for the reserve by 19%, raising it from 28.9 ₽ billion to 34.4 ₽ billion.
The government is planning a licensing reform to be submitted to the State Duma in October 2026. This proposal includes a mandatory minimum annual contribution of 1 ₽ million per operator, in addition to the existing 2% revenue levy. The USR funds fiber-optic infrastructure, universal communication services, and the development of new technologies.
