Moscow, September 2, 2008 – UC RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminium and alumina producer, has sent a letter to the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) requesting that the FAS take relevant measures to stop LUKOIL violating antimonopoly law and hold the company to account for this breach. Since April 2008, LUKOIL has significantly decreased the supply of oil coke to UC RUSAL’s largest aluminium smelters in violation of its obligations under existing long-term contracts. By cutting the volumes of supply without UC RUSAL’s consent, LUKOIL companies are trying to force UC RUSAL to agree to

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Bank24.ru to nongovernmental financial organizations for over 3 years plummeted by 98.1% (from 18.599 million RUR to 353,000 RUR) in January-August 2008.

Concern Kalina, the Russian cosmetics giant, published a consolidated financial report on the bank’s activity in the first half of 2008. The report was drawn up in accordance with the international financial reporting standards (IFRS) and stated that the company’s revenues and gross profit dropped by 21.42% and 30.9%, respectively, compared with the first half of 2007. At the same time, Kalina’s net profit decreased by 2.2% against a year earlier, dropping from $13.8m in January-June 2007 to $13.5m in January-June 2008.

Central Bank of Russia reports volume of loans given by Uralprivatbank to state-run for-profit organizations for 1 to 3 years dropped by 61.36% (from 2.2 million RUR to 850,000 RUR) in January-August 2008.

Starting September 1, 2008, Ural Airlines is going to operate an additional Yekaterinburg-Moscow flight. The plane leaves Koltsovo airport of Yekaterinburg at 7.25 AM and arrives at Domodedovo airport of Moscow at 7.40 AM. The flight will be operated on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and is primarily targeted at business travelers whose working day in Moscow could begin as early as 9 AM. The carrier currently offers its customers up to six Moscow-bound flights a day at some rather attractive-looking fares: the cheapest single tickets are available for only 2,850 RUR. ‘We are

Auto Plus Group was unable to comment on the negotiations on the sale of their blocking shareholding it is rumored to hold with Russian Retail Growth Fund. The spokesperson for the company says some updates might be expected from the Group’s GD Pavel Shestopalov on Monday, September 1, 2008. In fact, despite the reports on alleged negotiations, neither party involved has provided any official comments so far. Auto Plus now unites car centers like Toyota Center Yekaterinburg Zapad and Lexus Yekaterinburg, a seller of used cars Auto Plus Sever, and Auto Plus Rent A Car.

Governor of Chelyabinsk Region Petr Sumin decided that 15 million RUR should be directed from the region’s budget to support the local light industry. Chelyabinsk Region’s Government has been taking such steps since 2003, subsidizing the light industry enterprises’ loans (the government makes up for 50% of the refinancing interest rate on loans taken in Russian banks). According to the terms of the support program, factories must invest the money thus saved in production development (largely greater output and creating new jobs). In fact, these enterprises can also finance production