Ukraine to Build Strategic Undersea Internet Link With Europe and Asia to Bypass Russia

Ukraine is set to take part in a major international undersea cable initiative that will boost its digital sovereignty and internet resilience. The Kardesa project, scheduled to begin construction in 2027, will lay a high-capacity digital cable system across the Black Sea, connecting Ukraine with Bulgaria, Turkey, and Georgia—and linking Europe with Asia while bypassing Russia.

Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced the project on October 20, emphasizing its strategic importance for national and regional connectivity.

“The Kardesa project will provide Ukraine with fast and secure internet, as well as ensure the sovereignty and resilience of our telecommunications infrastructure,” Fedorov stated.

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The initiative is being spearheaded by Vodafone Group and Vodafone Ukraine, with the first phase of construction set to begin in Bulgaria. The project’s total budget exceeds $100 million.

Fedorov also noted that the Kardesa system will add 500 Tbps  of internet capacity across the Black Sea region—a critical addition to meet growing demand from 5G networks, artificial intelligence, and streaming services.

“Subsea cables carry 97–98% of international internet traffic, so this project is essential for the development of the entire region’s digital ecosystem,” Fedorov added.

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine and Norway are launching a new $21.8 million program to develop advanced defense technologies under a joint initiative called Brave-Norway.

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