Russian Scientists Set World Record in Qubit Control
Researchers in Russia have developed a superconducting quantum processor based on fluxonium qubits that can perform logical operations involving three quantum memory cells with a record-high gate fidelity of 99.39%. This approach reduces computation time and the number of operations in which errors can occur.
In early November, news of a major achievement by Russian researchers spread through the scientific community: they had built an experimental superconducting quantum processor that performed a three-qubit operation with 99.39% gate fidelity. Behind the headlines about a “record” lies a fundamental shift in quantum computing architecture. The development, a collaboration involving NUST MISIS, the Russian Quantum Center, the Institute of Nanoelectronics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, shows that the future of quantum computing depends not just on the number of qubits but also on how precisely they interact.
Anatomy of a Record
The processor uses three fluxonium qubits connected through a transmon qubit. Fluxonium qubits can maintain their quantum states longer than conventional transmons, but they are more challenging to manufacture.
The key achievement is the implementation of a CCZ gate, or controlled-controlled-Z gate. This operation is typically broken down into a sequence of simpler two-qubit gates. The Russian team performed it directly, using a single 65-nanosecond microwave pulse. The CCZ gate changes the phase of a joint quantum state, a capability that is critical for error correction.
Why does this matter? Every intermediate operation introduces another opportunity for an error. To achieve 99.39% gate fidelity through the conventional decomposition of a CCZ gate, each two-qubit gate would have to reach 99.94% gate fidelity, a level that remains out of reach today. Direct control not only speeds up computation but also sharply reduces the accumulation of errors. It is important to note, however, that the record applies to this specific logical gate, not to the processor as a whole, which remains a laboratory-scale system.
The Evolution of Russia’s Quantum Research
The November 2026 achievement was no fluke. It grew out of sustained work under the strategic Kvantovyy internet (Quantum Internet) project. Russia’s quantum research community is pursuing two main goals: scaling up quantum processors and improving their accuracy.
In 2023, Rosatom unveiled a 16-qubit ion-based quantum computer. The following year, researchers at Bauman Moscow State Technical University developed Snowdrop 4Q, a superconducting chip. Then 2025 marked a turning point for fluxonium technology: NUST MISIS and the Institute of Nanoelectronics of the Russian Academy of Sciences mastered its fabrication, achieving 99.993% gate fidelity in single-qubit operations. By February 2026, NUST MISIS was already demonstrating a 16-qubit fluxonium processor. The November experiment was a culmination of this strategy, showing that the architecture can support complex connections among multiple qubits.
From the Lab to Industry
The experimental chip is not designed to solve practical problems yet. The path from a laboratory record to a commercial quantum advantage runs through a series of demanding engineering challenges. These include developing quantum error-correction systems, expanding cryogenic infrastructure and advancing control electronics. Even so, the groundwork for a breakthrough is in place. Rosatom says quantum computers could begin competing with classical systems in specialized industrial applications between 2028 and 2033. Russia also plans to build a 300-qubit computer by 2030.
Over the longer term, these technologies could transform medicine, pharmaceuticals and materials science by making it possible to simulate molecules and design new materials at the atomic level. Russian businesses are already beginning to explore potential applications for future quantum computers, including quantum optimization.
Russian scientists have once again shown that the quantum race is about more than simply competing to build the processor with the most qubits. The real measure of progress in this new technological era is the ability to control their fragile quantum states with precision. The November 2026 record marks a significant Russian achievement in this global competition.
