At the construction site of the “Russia” National Center near Moscow City, work on the excavation is nearing completion: it is more than 90% complete. More than 650,000 cubic meters of soil have already been excavated. These figures were published by the Moscow Construction Complex on October 26, 2026.
Meanwhile, construction of the future building’s foundation is already underway. Earthwork and the pouring of the foundation slab are proceeding simultaneously in various sections of the site—this approach helps reduce construction time.
These figures refer to different stages of work. Over 90% refers to the overall readiness of the excavation. And according to Moscow Deputy Mayor Vladimir Efimov, the 97% figure represents the proportion of soil already excavated out of the total planned volume. Neither of these figures indicates the same level of completion for the entire National Center.
Construction is underway on the site of the former “Expocenter” on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment. Here, both groundwater and the proximity of active metro tunnels must be taken into account. We covered how the excavation pit is being constructed above the metro lines in a separate article.
According to city authorities, the site is using “wall-in-ground” technology for the retaining wall, along with anchor fastenings and a dewatering system. Work continues on installing the bracing system, reinforcing the slab, and waterproofing. Soil conditions are being monitored by specialists.
More than 600 people and 127 pieces of equipment are working at the construction site. A total of about 150,000 cubic meters of concrete will be needed for the foundation slab.
Why do the reports mention 90% and 97%?
There is an active metro line beneath the construction site
What’s Next
The new report does not specify a completion date for the entire Phase Zero. The center is still scheduled to open in 2029. Construction of the main complex constitutes the first phase of the project; the second phase includes an underground bus parking garage and a landscaped park.
The main architectural feature of the future building will be its “canopy” roof. For more details about it, the public spaces, and the opening plans, see our news article on the architecture of the “Russia” National Center.
