‘The Federal Migration Service’s Sverdlovsk Region division’s data on the number of foreign workers entering the region are incomplete, since the only information they get comes from Koltsovo Airport of Yekaterinburg. According to the data I have, the number of foreign workers coming t o the region has halved since the beginning of the year. Most of the workers, who went home upon the end of the season, are now waiting for things to get more certain: it’s a well-known fact that the future of the region’s numerous construction projects is dubious at the moment,’ the leader of Yekaterinburg’s

‘We understand that there might be little demand for our clothes at the time of a crisis. Yet our Yekaterinburg boutique has always been seen as a long-term investment, so we were prepared for this. Besides, we are positive that things will get back to normal and we will be a success. We expect to keep the excitement about the brand up by all sorts of shows and presentations,’ Pierre De Maigret, General Manager at Christian Dior Russia, announced at the opening of their Christian Dior boutique in Yekaterinburg. In the meantime, the ongoing crisis has already forced some luxury brands to leave

Uralfinprombank’s BOD Chairman Ildar Gubayev suggested that the bank’s stockholders buy out their shareholdings. The proposed price comes to 12 RUR per registered uncertified common share; the decision has to be made within seventy days of the offer. At the moment, Gubayev and his affiliates are reported to have 65.68% of the bank’s shares.

Moscow Court of Arbitration rejected the claims laid by Koltsovo Airport of Yekaterinburg and ruled in favor of the Federal Antimonopoly Service’s decision. The Service declared on September 19, 2008 that the airport had violated Article 10 of the federal bill on the protection of competition (namely, the ban on abuse of dominance) by avoiding signing an agreement with no ground for it. Since the airport was willing to eliminate this violation, no orders were issued, but it was still possible to take legal action, with the administrative charge laid on the basis of Article 14.31 of the

According to RBC.Rating, SKB-Bank crowns Sverdlovsk Region-based banks’ success rating in terms of entities’ deposit volume, consumer lending volume, lending portfolio, and the volume of loans offered to entities. ‘What is more, the bank is one of the best in the area in terms of private individuals’ investment and asset growth dynamics,’ says the bank’s press officer. In addition, SKB-Bank is featured in many of the country’s Top 50 bank ratings. The only Russia’s Top 100 Banks list the bank did not get on was the one compiled on the basis of loan loss.