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• The digital economy unfolds new possibilities for optimization of the transport and logistics complex in Russia. • The offered model shows that broad perspectives of application in transport and logistics are real for digital technologies of Industry 4.0. • Russia's experience could be a model for countries where an expansion of the digitalization of transport and logistics is planned. • The paper demonstrates that digital technologies can replace and/or expand transportation infrastructure. This paper aims to explain how the digital economy might unfold new possibilities for optimizing the transport and logistics complex in Russia. This paper develops a new conceptual scenario model and a unique algorithm to show that investing in digital technologies is a critical move in Russia. Blockchain, Big Data, the Internet of Things, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence would be strengthened by ample access to finance, technology availability, government support, and consumers' preferences. Although this paper makes use of Russia's system data where the contribution of transport and logistics in the GDP growth could reach 15–20 % by 2020, our findings may have applicability beyond the Russian case and definitively matter in a broader context of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]