Robots by Subscription
The Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model and subsidized leasing are lowering the barriers to automation for Russian manufacturers.
Rostelecom has completed a turnkey welding automation project at the Volgograd Litieino-Mekhanichesky Zavod (Volgograd Foundry and Mechanical Plant, VLMZ), a branch of ELTEZA, a subsidiary of Russian Railways (RZD) and part of the Natsproektstroi (National Project Construction) Group. The deployment is among Russia's first examples of end-to-end robotic welding for high-reliability components used in railway signaling, automation, and remote-control systems.
From the Weld Seam to the Digital Twin
The core of the installation consists of a six-axis industrial welding robot, specialized production tooling, and a functional safety system. Working together, these components deliver consistent weld quality, minimize the impact of human factors, and significantly increase throughput on the production line. For VLMZ, which manufactures hundreds of thousands of serial-production components each year for railway traffic control systems, the project represents an important step toward higher overall manufacturing efficiency.
Rostelecom engineers designed and manufactured production tooling for multiple product types made at the plant, optimized the welding processes, carried out commissioning of the robotic cell, and established a training program for plant personnel.
Over time, the robotic system can be fully integrated into the plant's digital manufacturing environment. Using the Ethernet/IP protocol, it can connect with shop-floor infrastructure while supporting remote diagnostics, telemetry, and continuous 24/7 operational monitoring. The equipment is also designed to collect process parameters for every individual weld, enabling those data to feed predictive analytics, quality management systems, and broader production management applications across the facility.
Turnkey Import Substitution
Rostelecom has positioned itself as a lead systems integrator for Russian industrial automation solutions. Its hardware portfolio includes six-axis manipulators equipped with computer vision from BBG Laserwa, a company based in the Moscow region. These robots can generate a three-dimensional model of a workpiece without prior marking. Similar systems are already operating at facilities run by RZD, LTS, and TM MASH. The company's portfolio also includes palletizing robots deployed at Russky Produkt manufacturing sites, autonomous warehouse platforms from Ronavi Robotics, and collaborative robotic manipulators developed by Promobot.
The software stack is built on Russian platforms. One example is the OCF integration data bus, developed jointly by Rostelecom and the Moskovsky Zavod Teplovoi Avtomatiki (Moscow Plant of Thermal Automation, MZTA). The platform processes up to 1.8 million signals per second, reducing dependence on proprietary foreign industrial control system ecosystems. Running on top of it is SuperSCADA, a Russian platform included in the MinTsifry (Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media) software registry, which creates digital twins and supports predictive analytics. The intelligence layer is powered by the Russian large language models YandexGPT and GigaChat, which can generate engineering project maps and estimate project economics in approximately 30 seconds.
Robot as a Service
Yet having the necessary technology stack alone does not guarantee large-scale adoption. Although Russia aims to rank among the world's top 25 countries in robot density by 2030, reaching 145 industrial robots per 10,000 workers, manufacturers continue to face significant barriers. A single robotic cell can cost as much as 30 million rubles (approximately $380,000) and require up to six years to pay for itself. Those challenges are compounded by labor shortages and the lack of unified industry standards. In response, major market participants are offering customers an alternative to capital expenditures through the Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model, shifting investment toward operating expenditures.
In 2026, Rostelecom launched a full-cycle industrial robotics business, while MTS introduced its "Robot as a Service" offering for retail, logistics, and manufacturing. Government policy is also accelerating adoption. Manufacturers can receive reimbursement covering up to 20% of implementation costs, obtain subsidized loans from the Industrial Development Fund at annual interest rates of 3% to 5% (reduced to 3% when Russian-made equipment is used), and apply for targeted subsidies from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Altogether, government support for the sector totals 43 billion rubles (approximately $548 million).
The RaaS Ecosystem in Practice
The effectiveness of the new business model is increasingly supported by real-world deployments. Severstal and Severstal-Metiz, working with systems integrators LE Robotics and Severstal-Infocom, are implementing intelligent welding systems equipped with machine vision. Meanwhile, SberLeasing offers subsidized leasing for Russian-built RusRobot manipulators manufactured in Chelyabinsk, allowing manufacturers to replace large upfront capital investments with predictable monthly payments.
At the Yaroslavl Beverage Plant, autonomous transport carts and computer vision systems supplied by RoboCV operate under a service-based model. Rather than purchasing the equipment outright, the manufacturer pays for measurable operational results together with a subscription covering ongoing algorithm updates.
In effect, service-based robotics and subsidized leasing have become practical market mechanisms that help manufacturers overcome high upfront capital costs while relying on proven Russian technology developers and established financial institutions.
