The number of websites using addresses in the Cyrillic Internet domain (.рф) may reach 25,000-50,000 by the end of 2010, the Russian media and communications minister told journalists on Thursday.
"Commercial sites will start operating from the fall and [the websites of] government entities may begin from summer. According to our forecasts, their number may reach 25,000-50,000 by the end of the year," Igor Shchegolev said.
Earlier on Thursday, the first Cyrillic domain was launched in Russia. The Russian president and government's websites were the first to use addresses in the new domain. At the present time, there are some 10,200 domains reserved in the .рф zone.
In November 2008, .рф was approved by international Internet authorities following a request by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The domain is aimed at raising the status of Russian as a global language, and it is hoped it will expand Internet use among Russian speakers unfamiliar with Latin characters.
"Russia has become the first country in the world to receive a national top-level domain. This is what we strived for," Medvedev said.
MOSCOW, May 13 (RIA Novosti)
