April 16, 2014. 177,000 mobile phones and smartphones and 36,000 tablet computers were sold in Yekaterinburg in the first quarter of 2014, this was, respectively, 4% and 43% more than a year earlier. On average, the price of a smartphone rose by 3% and came to 6,500 RUR, while the median price of a tablet computer dropped by 21% down to 10,000 RUR, Evroset says. The mobile phone and smartphone market increased by 4% in the first quarter of 2014 in quantitative terms and by 7% in monetary terms compared with the first quarter of 2013. The number of gadgets sold rose from 170,000 to 177,000,

April 16, 2014. The 14th international arms and military vehicles exhibition called DSA 2014 opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Uralvagonzavod Scientific & Production Corporation is taking part in the event. ‘The corporation displays the samples of its new products designed by its various member enterprises at the stand, including Terminator, the T90C tanks, the upgraded T72, and BREM-1M made at Nizhniy Tagil-based Uralvagonzavod, TOC-1A made at Omsk-based KBTM, the noiseless 82-mm 2B25 mortar made at Nizhniy Novgorod-based Burevestnik, and some other products. Terminator-2 was presented

April 16, 2014. Experts from Bank Koltso Urala’s processing center designed and launched a free application that allows one to manage one’s finances via iOS supporting devices through App Store. The application is called Telebank and is already available for downloading onto Apple gadgets, including one’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, Bank Koltso Urala’s press service says. ‘Koltso Urala’s mobile telebank allows one to manage bank card accounts and cards 24/7 using the familiar menu of a mobile phone. The application provides secured access to one’s accounts; besides, additional protection is

April 16, 2014. More than 273,800 sq m worth of housing was commissioned in Sverdlovsk Region in the first quarter of 2014, which was 2.1 times more than in the first quarter of 2013. According to Sverdlovskstat’s data, 188,700 sq m worth of private houses were put up in the first quarter, which was 1.8 times more than in Q1’13.

April 16, 2014. The industrial production index in Sverdlovsk Region was 11% lower in January-March 2014 than it was in the first quarter of 2013, Sverdlovskstat reports. In March 2014 and February 2014, the industrial production index was, respectively, 11.8% lower and 7.3% higher than in March 2013 and February 2013. The index was 12.2% lower than a year earlier in the mineral resources sector in January-March 2014; the figure was also 28.3% lower and 8.3% higher than in March 2013 and February 2013, respectively. As for the processing industries, the figure was 11.5% lower in the first

April 15, 2014. The International Exhibition Center Yekaterinburg EXPO might only break even in 2016 or 2017 (not considering the interest payments on loans). The original break-even point was set for the year 2014, Deputy Economics Minister of Sverdlovsk Region Elena Novotorzhentseva said at a press conference in Yekaterinburg today. ‘The exhibition center was built on borrowed money, so, if one doesn’t take the necessary interest payments into account, we should start breaking even by 2016 or 2017,’ the official said. According to Ms Novotorzhentseva, 30% more of exhibition space is used

April 15, 2014. Paralympics world cycling champion Alexei Obydennov thanked Uralvagonzavod Scientific & Production Corporation for support and faith in his success, the corporation’s press service reports. ‘Leader of the Russian national team Alexei Obydennov proved Russia’s first Paralympics world champion in cycling and won two gold medals: he came first in the three-kilometer race (an American came second and an Australian came third) and then he won an individual one-kilometer race, finishing it in 1 minute and 06.131 seconds. This was actually a world record for the Russian

April 15, 2014. On April 11, Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin was shown the new three-section 71-414 tram that had been designed jointly by Uralvagonzavod Corporation and the Polish company PESA. The Director-General of Uralvagonzavod Scientific & Production Corporation Oleg Sienko and Chairman of the Supervisory Board and DG of PESA Tomas Zaboklitsky presented the new tram on their respective companies’ behalf, the corporation’s press service says. 120 such trams will be delivered to Moscow within the framework of an agreement between Moscow Transport Department and one of

April 15, 2014. Ural Locomotives (a joint venture run by Sinara Group and Siemens AG) got visited by a delegation of chief train safety experts at Russian Railways, headed by Head of Russian Railways Motion Safety Department Shevket Shaidullin. According to Sinara Group’s press service, the visit was part of a network meeting of deputy heads of local railway divisions and chief inspectors for motion safety from all of Russian Railways local divisions. During their visit to the enterprise, the delegates talked about the ways of improving Sinara 2ES6 electric loco; special emphasis was made on

April 15, 2014. The Director-General of Uralvagonzavod Corporation Oleg Sienko talked to temporary acting Governor of Volgograd Region Andrei Bocharov about the prospects of Krasny Oktyabr, a plant that happens to be the corporation’s strategic partner. According to the holding’s press service, Andrei Bocharov pointed out that the enterprise was very special to Volgograd as it was one of the primary employers in the city; he said it was crucial for the plant to keep developing and to maintain its corporate social responsibility projects. ‘As the head of Volgograd Region, I am prepared to

April 14, 2014. The net loss of Uralkhimmash amounted to 411,554,000 RUR last year, whereas a year earlier, the figure was 2,505,464,000 RUR, the company’s annual accounting report states. The enterprise’s revenues came to 4,692,731,000 RUR against 4,459,124,000 RUR in 2012. Its gross profit was 610.389m RUR, its sales revenues stood at 17.372m RUR.

April 14, 2014. Governor of Kaluga Region Anatoly Artamonov paid a visit to Kalugaputmash, a track machine and hydraulic power drive plant and a member of Sinara Transport Machines Holding, on April 9, 2014. The enterprise housed a meeting on the development of railway machine-building in the area, the holding’s press service reports. The meeting was attended by Sinara Group BOD Chairman Dmitri Pumpyanski, Sinara Transport Machines’ Director-General Evgeny Gritsenko, Deputy Director for Technical Policy at Russian Railways David Kirzhner, and Director-General of RPM Group Konstantin Danilov.

April 14, 2014. Ural Airlines came up with a special offer for passengers flying from Yekaterinburg to Prague. On April 23, 2014, and on this day only, one can fly to Prague and go back within a week for €245 (all fees and charges included), the airline’s press service says. These specially priced tickets will be available at the booking offices starting from April 12, 2014. ‘Springtime in Prague, full of flowers in bloom and of green leaves, is particularly wonderful. The gorgeous blossoming sweet cherry trees, and the snow-white tulips in full bloom in front of the Jan Hus monument in the

April 14, 2014. In 2013, the natural increase in population in Yekaterinburg was 2.7 times greater than a year earlier; this was announced at the city healthcare committee meeting. According to Yekaterinburg Council’s press service, demographic experts say 23,227 people were born in the Mid-Urals’ capital in 2013, and 16,097 people passed away. This means that natural population increase (excluding the data on immigrants) was 7,130 people. ‘This is the biggest figure since the Soviet times. Compare this with 3,282 people in 2012 and 2,175 people in 2011,’ experts report. According to Deputy

April 14, 2014. On April 12, 1969, the first set of industrial tractors T-130 was embarked upon at Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant (ChTZ, a member enterprise of Uralvagonzavod Corporation). According to the corporation’s press service, the new tractor came to replace the T-100 make, which proved the bestseller of the 60s. ‘The machine was designed by a large team of designers from the plant’s lab chaired by Ivan Kavyarov. It was he who coined the term ‘industrial tractor’ – the collocation was faced with some skepticism on the experts’ part at first, but was later fully adopted into scientific and

April 11, 2014. Training Center of Pervouralsk New Pipe Plant (PNTZ, a member enterprise of ChTPZ Group) is going to select the winners of the 2nd local professional championship WorldSkills Russia-2014 today. According to the company's press service, contests were held in 16 different categories (IT helpdesk, graphic designer, welder, fashion designer, beautician, and others) on April 9-11. Over 250 people from 31 educational establishments and 11 cities of Ural Federal District attended the championship, and more than 3,000 high school students attended the event as spectators. The

April 11, 2014. Rosaviation Committee granted Orenburg Airlines permission to operate Yekaterinburg-New York and Yekaterinburg-Los Angeles flights. The updated list of authorized destinations was published on the agency's website. The said flights will be operated three times a week on Boeing 777-200 aircraft.

April 11, 2014. Seversky Pipe Plant (STZ, a member enterprise of Pipe Metallurgical Company/TMK)), launched a poetry project called 275 Lines in celebration of the enterprise's 275th anniversary. 'The idea behind the project is to promote amateur poets and help the plant's employees and their children reveal their creative potential and broaden their communication networks. Poetry Night was coordinated at Seversky Blast Furnace Museum; the evening's theme was spring, nature's rebirth, and love of one's motherland,' TMK press service says. Poets read their

April 11, 2014. Burevestnik Scientific Research Institute (a member enterprise of Uralvagonzavod Corporation) held a meeting headed by Deputy Chairman of the Military-Industrial Committee under the Russian Federation Government Oleg Bochkarev on problems relating to fulfilling the government defense order for Koalitsia SV and on production of a pilot batch of samples that will take part in the Victory Day Parade in 2015, the corporation's press service says. The meeting was attended by officials from federal executive bodies, managers and employees from defense enterprises, and members

April 11, 2014. The number of Internet users over 18 years of age in Ural Federal District rose by 9.3% in 2013, Yandex newsletter on the Internet development in Russian federal constituencies says. Also, the number of users who access the Internet from their mobile gadgets increased by 70% last year. The number of Yekaterinburg residents over 55 years age who use the Internet went up by 10%. At the same time, the monthly fees for access to the Internet in Yekaterinburg are still among the highest compared with Moscow and Saint Petersburg. In Yekaterinburg, 500 to 600 RUR a month guaranteed