BitRiver Group’s subsidiary, BitRiver-B, gears up to unveil Russia’s most expansive data center dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) by the latter half of 2024, according to reports from Russia’s government news agency Prime.

Expected to become the largest hub for energy-intensive computations in Eurasia, the data center boasts a projected capacity of 100 megawatts, as stated by Sergey Bezdelov, director of the Association of Industrial Mining.

Despite BitRiver’s presence on the U.S. Treasury Department’s sanctions list since April 2022, Bezdelov emphasized the company’s commitment to advancing technological infrastructure in Russia. He highlighted the immense potential for growth in high-performance computing, particularly with the rising adoption of AI, projecting significant demand for such facilities by 2035.

The data center aims to cater to a spectrum of energy-intensive operations, including cryptocurrency mining, cloud services, and AI tasks, aligning with Russia’s strategic focus on technological advancement.

The U.S. government’s move to sanction BitRiver and its subsidiaries stemmed from concerns about the Russian economy’s technology sector. According to the U.S. Treasury, crypto mining companies like BitRiver aid Russia in capitalizing on its abundant natural resources, facilitated by the nation’s energy reservoirs and cold climate.

Despite geopolitical challenges, BitRiver remains steadfast in its commitment to technological innovation, pushing boundaries in the realms of both cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence.