Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service allowed Microsoft to buy Skype, the owner of a popular Internet-based telecommunications service, the FAS’s press service reports.

‘The agency looked into Microsoft International Holdings B.V.’s application to acquire the rights over Quick.Ru and Skype Communications S.AR.L.’s business activity and decided to approve of it,’ the press service says.

Now Microsoft Corporation went through with the purchase of Skype as early as mid-October, but the formal completion of the transaction in Russia was postponed until the FAS would accept the deal. Meanwhile, the agency extended the processing period for Microsoft’s application because their purchase of Skype could limit market competition, so the processing period had to be long enough to carry out a market analysis.

Microsoft signed the agreement regarding the acquisition of Skype for $8.5bn in May 2011.