UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 21, 2016. The overall output of Sverdlovsk Region’s fossil development enterprises decreased by 8.9% in February 2016 compared with the previous month, Sverdlovskstat reports. Additionally, the output figures also went down in the sector for production and distribution of electric power, natural gas, and water (-11.9%) and went up in the processing industry (+15.1%). All in all, the constituency’s industrial production index rose by 7% in February 2016 against one month earlier.

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 21, 2016. SKB-Bank got on the Forbes magazine’s Top100 Most Reliable Russian Banks list and proved one of the best institutions in the Urals, the bank’s press service reports. Its assets were estimated at over 133bn RUR; the bank carries a number of international Fitch Ratings. Forbes analysts came up with a reliability rating in March 2016; the banks were evaluated against their international ratings, funds, capital adequacy, major lending risks, and the share of private customers’ deposits in their loan books.

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 21, 2016. Ural Airlines are now offering special prices on tickets for their Moscow- and Saint Petersburg-bound flights, the company press service reports. ‘A special 20% discount is offered on scheduled flights to Moscow and Saint Petersburg and back on March18-20; departure dates all fall in the March 25 to May 31, 2016 range,’ the press service says. You can book the tickets at www.uralairlines.com, via Uralairlines mobile app, over the phone (8-800-7700-262), or in any booking office.

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 21, 2016. The Ural Bank for Reconstruction & Development (UBRD) is now a member of MIR, the international payment system, and is undergoing technical certification procedures, the bank’s press service reports. According to the bank representatives, the organization is planning to start issuing MIR cards before the end of the year. Bank Card Director Alexei Piskunov says the ATMs will be all set up before July, as will be the information acquiring and processing and servicing procedures. Cards will be available at any of the bank branches. The UBRD currently has

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 21, 2016. Georgiy Zakamennykh, Director-General of Burevestnik Central Scientific Research Institute (a member enterprise of Ural Vagon Zavod Corporation) received the Alexander Nevsky Award. According to the company press service, the award was given to Zakamennykh by Plenipotentiary Representative of Russian Federation President in Volga Federal District Mikhail Babich in the course of a solemn ceremony. ‘The order was given for Zakamennykh’s work achievements, many years of conscientious performance, and proactive social policy,’ the press service says.

UrBC, Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Region, March 21, 2016. Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) intends to have its metal produce approved and accepted by 100% of carmakers running their factories in Russia. The company keeps working on its import substitution program and towards becoming an authorized metal goods supplier, MMK reports. The company’s rolled metal products have been approved by 80% of localized carmakers so far, and 60% of these companies use MMK as their regular supplier. For one, MMK is the key metal goods supplier for AvtoVAZ and UAZ and has already been approved by a

UrBC, Moscow, March 17, 2016. Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) intends to retain its share of the Russian coated rolled products market, even though the domestic consumption is expected to decrease this year, MMK representative said at the 11th Zinc- and Paint-Coated Rolled Products Conference in Moscow. The representative said MMK’s share of galvanized rolled products market came to 31% last year, while that of the market for rolled products with polymeric coating came to 16%. The home market is still the company’s priority one: 86% of zinc-coated products were sold in Russia last

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 17, 2016. The telecommunications provider MegaFon reduced the monthly cost of its All-Inclusive pay scheme and offered its subscribers unlimited connection for calls to other MegaFon subscribers both in their home region and in other parts of Russia, the company press service reports. ‘Our subscribers can now talk to their nearest and dearest for as long as they like for only 180 RUR a month. This is one of the best offers on the market,’ the press service says. Remarkably, no limit is set on the number of minutes per month; nor is the offer limited to a

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 17, 2016. Russian Copper Company is going to finance repairs and remodeling of Kindergarten 9 in Karabash, the company press service reports. ‘The building, which houses over ninety children during the day, is now all covered in cracks on the outside, with stucco falling off and window panes almost falling apart. The fifty-year-old kindergarten needs a grand overhaul, but neither the town nor Sverdlovsk Region have the funds for this,’ the press service says. Both the children’s parents and the town council representatives as well the local members of United Russia

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 17, 2016. Ural Airlines transferred 500,000 bonus points (the cost of around fifty Yekaterinburg-Moscow flights) to each of the two charities the company supports, the company press service reports. Both Russian Rusfond and the Konstantin Khabensky Charity Foundation help children with diagnosed illnesses and have been Ural Airlines’ partners in the Wings of Good Project since September 2015.

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 17, 2016. Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant/PNTZ (a member enterprise of ChTPZ Group) is going to host the annual Metallinka 2016 Children’s Contest on March 18-20; over three hundred children of metallurgists working for Russia’s major enterprises are going to compete, the Group’s press service reports. The teams of young performers aged eight to eleven are expected to be the event’s main feature. ChTPZ Group is sending its Surprise Band, singer Valeria Ustyuzhanina, and the Galina Krugovaya Ballet Studio to present their best pieces. ‘ChTPZ Group pays special attention

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 17, 2016. Kamensk Uralsky Foundry Plant (a member enterprise of Ural Vagon Zavod Corporation) has produced over 8,000 kg of stuffs for making powder metallurgy parts since its upgraded bedding plant was launched. According to the company press service, this figure is the result of the new charge preparation equipment’s two months in operation. The retooling and upgrades involved the initial section of the powder metallurgy department, which has been around for some five decades. The older units were dismantled and replaced with the more efficient and environmentally

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 16, 2016. Yekaterinburg came fourth in the rating of Russia’s most popular spring break destinations for families with children, Travel.ru states. According to the website, hotel bookings in Yekaterinburg are made for three days on average, for the price of 3,200 RUR per night. The other cities on the top ten list are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Kaliningrad, Velikiy Novgorod, Petrozavodsk, Kostroma, Tula, and Sochi. Vyborg, Kolomna, Suzdal, Pereslavl-Zalessky, and Pushkinskiye Gory proved the most popular small towns for family trips. Also, Oktogo.ru says Minsk

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 16, 2016. Sverdlovsk Region division of Rospotrebnadzor (the state consumer rights watchdog) received an increased number of customer complaints relating to the quality of personal, financial, medical, and telecommunications services rendered to them last year, the division’s acting head of Consumer Rights Protection Department Olga Kharitonova said at a press conference today. 16,500 complaints were submitted to the organization last year altogether, including 10,000 that were related to consumer rights protection. Most of these complaints had to do with services

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 16, 2016. The Archangel Michael Sports Club in Yekaterinburg welcomed the children supported by Russian Copper Company’s charity fund and the company’s Chair of the BOD Igor Altushkin for a family event on March 12, the company press service reports. The event, dubbed Spring Carousel and dedicated to the coming of the spring and the Mardi Gras celebrations, gathered together over seventy kids and teens aged between 3 and twenty, including twenty-four children from Karabash foster home and children diagnosed with cancer, cardiovascular diseases, hearing problems, and

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 16, 2016. Omsktransmash (a member enterprise of Ural Vagon Zavod Corporation) recently underwent an audit that was necessary to start applying for pipeline manufacturing permits, the company press service reports. The plant is now working, among other things, on pipeline lock valves for a number of large Russian enterprises. A technical audit of the company’s overall activity to prepare the plant for licensing and certification was the first stage in the project. The next step was creating a roadmap on personnel training and production preparations. Once these have

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 16, 2016. Electromachine (a member enterprise of Ural Vagon Zavod Corporation) got the international compliance certificate IRIS, the company press service reports. Now Russian Railways, the company’s customer and partner, completed the development of its strategic quality management system last year and adopted a policy of prioritizing suppliers with IRIS certificates. ‘Our company set up an ad hoc team in late 2014 to work towards a certification audit and getting the certificate. In the course of one year, a set of documents necessary for the introduction of a

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 15, 2016. A special ceremony was performed at Tolmachevo Airport’s domestic flights terminal for Ural Airlines’ Novosibirsk-Moscow flight in celebration of the airline’s and Novosibirsk International Airport’s ten-year partnership today, the air carrier’s press service reports. ‘The special date was turned into a memorable event for the passengers of this Flight 99, all of whom received souvenirs and could take part in a prize-winning lottery coordinated by the airline and the airport. Ural Airlines’ first prize (a fully paid flight from Novosibirsk to Moscow and

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 15, 2016. The telecommunications provider MegaFon now makes a special offer to its business customers: companies can now buy high quality telephone and Internet connection equipment for just one ruble, MegaFon’s press service reports. Express Office PRO, a special set of a multi-functional router, a 4G modem, and a DECT telephone, will provide a company with wireless IT infrastructure built from scratch. All the connecting appliances come included. ‘If you are about to set up a new outlet or are moving office, Express Office PRO is probably the best option for a

UrBC, Yekaterinburg, March 15, 2016. EVRAZ NTMK directed around 500m RUR to labor protection and industrial safety projects as well as to over fifty initiatives on working conditions improvements last year, the company press service reports. For one, sixteen shower rooms and WCs as well as repair mechanics’ rooms, a crane section, and a cafeteria were repaired and remodeled. Also, window panes and roofing were replaced in all the main production departments. ‘The company remains focused on working conditions improvements. In 2015, we had industrial vacuum cleaners and special dust-trapping