Moscow, љ13 August 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, announces today that it has filed a lawsuit with the arbitration court against LUKOIL, the primary supplier of oil coke to UC RUSAL’s facilities, for disruptions in its supply of raw materials. Since April 2008, LUKOIL has reduced the supply of oil coke to UC RUSAL’s largest aluminium smelters by almost two times and as a result has not been fulfilling its long-term contractual obligations.


According to the contract signed between the two companies in 2006, LUKOIL is obliged to supply oil coke to UC RUSAL until April 2011. This oil coke is required for the production of anode paste and anodes by UC RUSAL’s aluminium smelters. However, in April this year, LUKOIL decreased shipments, while selling oil coke to other customers and as a result violated the terms of the agreement. UC RUSAL has observed the agreed contract.
As LUKOIL disrupted its contractual obligations and its representatives are not willing to have a constructive dialogue, UC RUSAL believes that the only possible way to resolve the situation and ensure the contract is fulfilled in full is to take legal action.


About UC RUSAL


United Company RUSAL (www.rusal.com) is the global leader in the aluminium industry, accounting for approximately 12% and 15% of global production of aluminium and alumina respectively. The company was founded in March 2007 through the merger of RUSAL, SUAL, and the alumina assets of Glencore. United Company RUSAL sells its products in 70 countries worldwide and employs 100,000 people in 19 countries, across 5 continents.


To learn more about aluminium please visit http://www.aluminiumleader.com/en/