April 18, 2014. The Russian Federation Economic Development Ministry and Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) signed a cooperation agreement in the field of foreign economic activity, the company reports. The agreement was signed by Minister Alexei Ulyukayev and MMK Director-General Pavel Shilyayev. The paper provides for sharing information, mutual expert and consultant advice, organization and conduction of events, including those that involve Russian trade representations and those held within intergovernmental commissions for Russia's trade and economic and scientific and

April 18, 2014. Lyudinovsky Locomotive Plant (LTZ, a member enterprise of Sinara Transport Machines) got a compliance certificate for its TEM14 two-diesel locomotives series; the certificate proves the locos comply with the federal railway transport requirements, the holding’s press service reports. LTZ actually had its first fifteen TEM14 two-diesel engines certified in June 2013. Having a locomotive certificate meant the plant is allowed to make 44 additional locomotives from its pilot batch. Russian Railways are currently the key customer and consumer for the TEM14 loco; this make proved

April 18, 2014. Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and Sochi proved the most popular destinations for Yekaterinburg travelers in May, while Kyiv and Istanbul are no longer among the top ten most coveted places to visit, Aviasales.ru PR Manager Yanis Dzenis told UrBC. He explained Yekaterinburg residents are now flying in very different directions from the ones chosen last year. Those who decided to go away for the May recess preferred the countries in the dollar zone. According to a research conducted by Aviasales.ru analysts, the destinations popular with Yekaterinburg travelers this spring are:

April 18, 2014. According to Ural Chamber of Real Estate’s Analytical Department, the median price of a square meter of housing offered for sale on Yekaterinburg existing homes market came to 74,432 RUR on April 14, 2014, the Chamber’s press service reports. This figure is up 0.2% on last week and 2.3% higher than the one at the beginning of the year. This means the market prices keep rising proportionally to the inflation rate: according to Rosstat, consumer prices in Russia rose by 2.3% in the first quarter of 2014.

April 18, 2014. The finishing center of Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant (PNTZ, a member of ChTPZ Group) is now implementing a capacity-boosting program for its thermal treatment section, the company’s press service reports. The innovations will result in a 20% increase in the productivity of the section, which, in its turn, will raise the output of thermally processed pipes from 80,000,000 kg a year to 90-95,000,000 kg a year. ‘The program is two-fold. The first stage will last until the end of 2014 and will comprise a number of steps targeted at reducing down time, speeding up the thermal

April 18, 2014. A set of spare parts for B10M and DET250 tractors made at Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (ChTZ, a member of Uralvagonzavod Corporation) is going to be shipped to Ukraine. The spare parts will be purchased by ChTZ-Uraltrac’s dealer, Assol, the corporation’s press service reports. The goods will be shipped to the consumer as they are ready throughout the month of April. In fact, as many as two vans rather than just one might head off for Zaporozhe this month. The plant is also about to sign a contract and specifications for the delivery of a set of spare parts to one more Ukrainian