---
title: "Russia Desperately Wants a Quantum Computer"
description: "Russia is pouring big money into quantum research in a bid to catch up to other world leaders' quantum computer programs."
date: "2019-12-18"
modified: "2019-12-18"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russia-wants-quantum-computer"
categories:
  - "Physics"
  - "Quantum Physics"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "quantum computers"
  - "Russia"
  - "the digest"
---

# Russia Desperately Wants a Quantum Computer

![Russia is pouring big money into quantum research in a bid to catch up to other world leaders' quantum computer programs.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/russia-wants-quantum-computer.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Images via Pixabay/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Big Money

The Russian government just launched a new initiative to catch its quantum computing program up to those of [other global powers](<https://futurism.com/scientists-building-quantum-computer-acts-like-brain>).

Over the next five years, Russia plans to pump about 50 billion roubles — that's around $790 million — into programs that, hopefully, will result in a functional quantum computer, [according to *Nature News*](<https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03855-z>). While the investment shows that the government is serious about quantum tech, the program is also a bid to rebuild and revitalize Russia's science programs.

## "Real Boost"

Russian scientists working in major labs point out that quantum computers are far from being practical, no matter who's building them, *Nature* reports. But the government's investment in them will be "a real boost," Russian Quantum Center physicist Aleksey Federov told *Nature*.

"If things work out as planned, this initiative will be a major step towards bringing Russian quantum science to a world-class standard," he added.

## Playing Catchup

Over recent decades, historically low funding has led to a mass departure of talented Russian scientists who went to different countries or institutions in search of better support and salaries. By bolstering research programs, the government is hoping to reverse that trend.

"We're five to 10 years behind," Federov told *Nature*. "But there’s a lot of potential here, and we follow very closely what’s happening abroad."

**READ MORE:** [Russia joins race to make quantum dreams a reality](<https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03855-z>) \[*Nature News*\]

**More on quantum computers:** *[The World’s First Practical Quantum Computer May Be Just Five Years Away](<https://futurism.com/quantum-computer-first-practical>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)