August 29, 2013. The net profit of MRSK Urala decreased by 30% in the first half of 2013 and amounted to 143m RUR. In 2012, the figure was 206m RUR, the company’s report states. The revenues for January to June came to 30.4bn RUR, which is 0.5% more than in 2012 (30.25bn RUR). The company’s pre-tax profit was 302.6m RUR in the first half of 2013 - 2.3 times less against a year earlier (697.5m RUR). The figures were drawn up in accordance with the IAS.

August 29, 2013. 23 multi-purpose centers are expected to be launched in Sverdlovsk Region before the end of the year; the centers will provide all kinds of bureaucratic services to the locals. This network will cost 320m RUR to build, Sverdlovsk Region Economics Minister Dmitri Nozhenko said at a press conference today. This money will be directed to personnel training, staff salaries (there will be 1,200 people working there), and the setting up of the branches. Automobiles fitted with all the necessary equipment will be provided for people living in very remote parts of the area. 19

August 29, 2013. 50 extra budget-funded fellowships were allocated by Sverdlovsk Region Education Ministry to Pervouralsk Metallurgical College. This is a unique case among secondary vocational education establishments, as most students don’t even have to compete to get into places of this kind, ChTPZ Group’s press service reports. The thing is, this college is hugely popular with applicants because of the ChTPZ Group’s Future of White Metallurgy Project: there were 2.5 applicants per one student position on this program this year. ‘The interest in the Future of White Metallurgy Program that

August 29, 2013. Sverdlovsk Region Economics Minister Dmitri Nozhenko said the economic situation in Sverdlovsk Region was overall stable, though he did admit some sectors were stagnating and no necessary growth was to be seen. He said this at a press conference in Yekaterinburg today. ‘I would say the situation is stable on the whole. While this might be true that we are not experiencing the kind of growth we would like to see, and some sectors are stagnating, still, I wouldn’t say this was anything to really worry about,’ the Minister said. Now the Region’s Finance Minister Galina

August 29, 2013. The EXPO 2020 Application Committee is announcing a photo contest called I am for EXPO in Yekaterinburg. The event will take place on August 23 to September 30, the official city portal states. ‘To take part in the competition, you have to present the photographs that reflect your support of the idea of hosting EXPO 2020 in Yekaterinburg; the photos should show how much you like this city, why you are voting for EXPO, how you see the world exhibition in this place, and why the city deserves to host the event,’ the message states. You can use the application logo or the phrase