UrBC, Moscow, May 18, 2016. Russia’s GDP declined by 1.2% in the first quarter of the year compared with one year earlier, Rosstat’s data indicate. ‘The GDP physical volume index has preliminarily been estimated at 98.8% of last year’s amount,’ the agency reports. In fact, the country’s GDP already dropped by 3.8% in the last quarter of 2015 and by 3.7% in the year 2015 altogether.

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, May 18, 2016. 76% of Yekaterinburg-based job-seekers are faced with cash flow problems while on the lookout for a job, HeadHunter’s research findings indicate. Based on the results of the survey, financial trouble is felt very keenly by two-thirds of the respondents, while the rest appear to be coping. Only 5% of those surveyed never face any shortage of funds and live on their savings or their family’s income during their employment-seeking period. They do admit, however, that this safety cushion or family support would only be enough for no longer than three months’

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, May 18, 2016. Ural Airlines will operate more flights to the Crimea this summer, the air carrier’s press service reports. For one, a new flight will be available from Astrakhan. Astrakhan-Simferopol flights will be operated every Tuesday starting from May 31, 2016. On the same day, the air carrier will also resume its Kirov-Simferopol flights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. ‘The Crimea as a summer holiday destination is a great opportunity to enjoy the magnificent landscapes and climate of the peninsula as well as to rest, mentally and physically, at local health resorts. The

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, May 18, 2016. Kamenskoye Farm, a member of Sinara Group and one of the Mid-Urals’ largest agricultural businesses, embarked on this year’s sowing campaign recently, the company press service reports. This year, 14,000 hectares of farm fields will be used to sow over 7,000 hectares of grains (3,000 hectares of wheat, 3,200 hectares of barley, and 800 hectares of oats), 80 hectares of potatoes, and cattle feed-stuffs. This season will be a bit unusual in that 500 hectares of land will be used for growing rapeseed for the first time. The farm got ready for the seedtime in

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, May 18, 2016. Kamensk-Uralsky Foundry Plant/KULZ (a member enterprise of Ural Vagon Zavod Corporation) Director-General Anatoly Barabanov was awarded a thank-you letter from Governor of Sverdlovsk Region, the company press service reports. The letter states that it has been issued in recognition of ‘many years of conscientious work efforts, impressive contribution to the development of Sverdlovsk Region’s industry, and supporting the Russian Federation’s defense potential.’ ’Anatoly Barabanov came to work at the plant with a fresh degree from Ulyanovsk Polytechnic forty