January 16, 2015. Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) was given the second place among all of Russia’s flat steel producers and zinc- and paint-coated rolled products by Metallosnabzheniye I Sbyt magazine for the second half of 2014. The magazine carries a biannual rating of the leading ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgical enterprises. MMK has always remained at the top of the list due to consistent implementation of its production development strategy which focuses on manufacture of highly profitable goods with high added value, MMK reports. In addition to this primary rating, MMK was

January 16, 2015. Transaero Airlines stopped operating flights from Yekaterinburg to Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport in January, Koltsovo Airport’s press service informed UrBC. It remains unclear for the time being when the flights will be resumed. Now Koltsovo Airport was warned of the stoppage at the end of December. At the same time, Transaero will keep on operating flights from Yekaterinburg to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport. In fact, UTair Airlines also stopped operating its Moscow-Yekaterinburg-Moscow flights until the end of March 2015.

January 16, 2015. Russian travelers spent 40% less money abroad during the winter break (January 1-11, 2015), while their spending at home rose by nearly the same 40%, Bank VTB24 says based on its customers’ transaction statistics. The bank’s customers spent 1.6bn RUR abroad during the holidays, which was 40% less than in the first half of January 2014 and 17% less than in January 2013. The top five countries where Russians spent most were Italy, France, the United Arab Emirates, Austria, and the USA. This list looks almost the same as the previous year’s one, except for the fact that Finland

January 16, 2015. Vladislav Zhukov was appointed CEO of EVRAZ KGOK, Kachkanar Ore Mining & Processing Enterprise, and Vyacheslav Sarayev was appointed CEO of EVRAZ NMTP, Nakhodka Trade Sea Port. Both executives will assume office on January 16, 2015, the Group’s press service reports. Zhukov, who used to work as CEO EVRAZ Nakhodka Trade Sea Port, will now be in charge of EVRAZ KGOK’s long-term development, enhancing the efficiency of fixed asset investment, and working towards greater profitability. He is going to succeed Vladimir Bobrov. Sarayev, former Project Manager at Mezhegeyskoye

January 16, 2015. Kamensk Uralsky Foundry Plant (KULZ, a member enterprise of Uralvagonzavod Corporation) is going to start implementing its three-year national special-purpose import replacement program on friction materials in 2015. According to the corporation’s press service, this means all the building and assembly jobs need to be completed, up-to-date equipment needs to be bought and installed, the already existing products need to be improved, and new product types need to be mastered. ‘Last year proved a good starting point for this project: the plant met all of its targets, fulfilled

January 16, 2015. ChTPZ Group directed some 30m RUR to employee training at its pipe-manufacturing enterprises last year. 11,000 employees of Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant and of Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant were on professional development programs paid for by the Group. According to the Group’s press service, around 7,000 blue-collar workers got their first-ever qualifications, received additional job qualifications, or underwent re-training programs. Most of the employees got additional qualifications as welders, sling operators, repairmen, and quality technicians for the ferrous metals