According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of profit-making self-regulatory organizations’ deposits in METCOMBANK valid for 91 to 180 days went down 53% (from 51.3 million RUR to 24 million RUR) in January-April 2007.

Sverdlovsk Region Ministry for Economics and Labor reports the number of accidents with lethal outcomes at regional enterprises decreased by 17.3% last year; that of grave industrial accidents dropped by 33%, that of group accidents by 2.2%.

RENOVA Stroy Group accepted the invitation made by Minister of Economic Development and Trade German Gref and took part in the 11th International Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg on June 8-10, 2007. The company’s representatives were involved in most of the events on the forum agenda and presented the Academic construction project (currently implemented in Yekaterinburg) at the investment projects exhibition, the company’s press officer reports. First Vice Premier Dmitriy Medvedev was able to have a look at the project stand and meet RENOVA’s President Veniamin Golubitskiy on June 10, 2007.

RosBusinessConsulting published its Russia’s Largest Banks rating for the first quarter of 2007. URSA Bank was ranked 20th in terms of net wealth as well as in terms of its loan portfolio and 22nd in terms of equity capital (as of April 1, 2007). It was also Russia’s No. 4 on Top 30 Investment Banks list in January-March 2007. The bank became Russia’s 8th most successful bank in terms of consumer loans and 24th most successful bank in terms of loans provided to legal entities. Its deposit portfolio was Russia’s 17th largest one in January-March 2007 (with volumes of legal entities and natural

Kyshtym Copper Electrolysis Plant (part of Russian Copper Company) completed the construction of a new copper rolled wire production shop. The commissioning of Southwire equipment (made by U.S.-based Southwire Company) was started in June 2007, and the shop is expected to be launched on the day of the plant’s 250th anniversary traditionally celebrated on Metallurgist’s Day, the spokesperson for Russian Copper Company reports. The construction was started in November 2006, with design modeled on a Southwire-equipped shop set up at Novgorod Metallurgical Works (part of Russian Copper Company).

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by AGROPROMBANK to natural persons for 181 days to 1 year went down 15% (from 65.762 RUR to 55.889 RUR) in January-April 2007.

Ural Airlines is going to perform Yekaterinburg-Surgut-Yekaterinburg flights beginning from June 15, 2007 (flight U6 419/420) using AN 24 aircraft. These two-hour flights will be available four times a week. The carrier’s press officer says the introduction of these flights nearly coincided with Surgut’s ‘birthday’ (the city celebrated its 42nd anniversary on June 12, 2007).

First Deputy Head of Sverdlovsk Region Government Vladimir Molchanov chaired a governmental meeting on the management of the public grant offered to the region so that it can have more quality highways constructed within the area. The projects provide for the construction of 33 roads with the help of 3.277 billion RUR worth of regional budget investments and 613 million RUR worth of federal budget contributions, the spokesperson for Sverdlovsk Region Ministry for Industry, Power Engineering, and Science reports. The regional government decided on a highway connecting the towns of Verkhnyaya

A meeting of Sverdlovsk Region Small Business Development Coordinating Committee took place in Yekaterinburg on June 13, 2007. In the course of their discussion, the attendees came to a conclusion that the regional small businesses’ scientific potential was being underused, and companies kept being hindered in terms of further innovational development despite all the supportive measures. The meeting participants also commented on the fact that Sverdlovsk Region was not doing very well as far as innovations were concerned; those amounted to less than 6% of all the industrial produce in the

Koltsovo airport of Yekaterinburg informed the Federal Antimonopoly Service in Sverdlovsk Region that it had actually complied with their requirements and transferred 16,751,999 RUR worth of illegal profits to the federal budget. The regional division of the Federal Antimonopoly Service declared on January 30, 2007 that the airport had been violating the competition and antimonopoly legislation from January 1, 2005 to October 25, 2006 and the competition protection law from October 26, 2006 to November 30, 2006), demanding that the airport transfer the profit obtained through violating these

Sverdlovsk Energogaz Company set up an official online ‘office’; their site provides for information about the company and the history of its success; there are also sections for the enterprise’s customers and partners as well as news, projects, and proposals, the company’s press officer reports. An interactive map of Sverdlovsk Region with indicators of the company’s offices is expected to appear soon; besides, there is professional counseling available online. An authorized user section (meant for businesses and regional organizations) is currently under construction; this section will help

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Sverdlovsk Gubernskiy Bank to natural persons for 181 days to 1 year went down 42% (from 75.03 million RUR to 43.336 million RUR) in January-May 2007.

Sverdlovsk Energogaz Company set up an official online ‘office’; their site provides for information about the company and the history of its success; there are also sections for the enterprise’s customers and partners as well as news, projects, and proposals, the company’s press officer reports. An interactive map of Sverdlovsk Region with indicators of the company’s offices is expected to appear soon; besides, there is professional counseling available online. An authorized user section (meant for businesses and regional organizations) is currently under construction; this section will help

According to the Central Bank of Russia, volume of loans given by Sverdlovsk Gubernskiy Bank to natural persons for 181 days to 1 year went down 42% (from 75.03 million RUR to 43.336 million RUR) in January-May 2007.

‘This June, Bank24.ru’s e-customers can transfer money into their Yandex Money electronic accounts commission-free. To make payments easier, our bank created special e-templates designed for these payments (the template can be found under Other Payments/Internet Money heading on the corporate website),’ the bank’s press release states. ‘The advantages of this offer are quite obvious: payments are fast and free (no commission is taken by either Bank24.ru or Yandex Money). Bank24.ru is currently Yekaterinburg’s only bank that does not charge for e-payments,’ Retail Development Director Kseniya

A regional mortgage lending fair (coordinated by Chelyabinsk Region Ministry for Economic Development) was held in Chelyabinsk on June 6, 2007. URSA Bank was one of the fair participants. ‘Our experts were trying to find the best mortgage schemes and the most suitable payment periods for the visitors. URSA Bank’s Chelyabinsk branch Deputy Director Alexander Igoshev presented his report on mortgages offered on dwellings under construction in the course of a thematic conference,’ the bank’s press release states. ‘URSA Bank’s mortgage loans make it possible for a customer to make virtually any

‘Europe Day – a festival devoted to the European Union – in the Ukraine has been backed by Khortytsa (aka Hortiza) Distillery for the second time this year. This was by no means coincidental: Khortytsa is Ukraine’s top strong drinks producer (its share of the market comes to 28%). ‘The brand is currently acquiring transnational importance; all of our production processes have been brought in compliance with the European standards, and our produce is exported to forty-five countries all over the world, with 25 more countries expected to open their markets for us by the end of 2007,’ the PR

According to the spokesperson for Rambler Ltd., their TV channel is going to close down on June 10, 2007; the company’s management sent out agreement-canceling notifications to all of their partners. The channel was introduced in January 2003 in over 500 Russian cities and towns; more than 40 million people were reported to be watching it on regular basis. The channel’s controlling share holding was acquired by Prof-Media in October 2006. Rambler was a fully digital TV channel broadcast with the help of ABS (LMI) an Express AM2 satellites. It was also available for NTV Plus subscribers.

SKB-Bank has recently come up with a new offer: giving its customers advice on the best mortgage schemes online. ‘All those with an Internet connection are now able to get all the information regarding mortgage loans they need quickly and efficiently by simply typing in their question on the site Chelyabinsk Region/South Ural Enterprises (under Financial Experts. Online Counseling heading),’ the bank’s press release says. ‘This online service was created to make sure the site users can get professional advice on loans fast. Our primary challenge at the moment is involving as many experts as

Evraz Group acquired a 50% share holding of Yuzhkuzbassugol United Coal Company; the financial terms of the transaction have been kept confidential, Evraz Group’s press officer reports. Evraz used to own 50% of Yuzhkuzbassugol, with the remaining half belonging to three individuals among the company’s management. Evraz Group decided to raise its share in the company’s authorized capital after an accident at Yubileynaya mine, promising to reconsider its investment strategy as far as Yuzhkuzbassugol was concerned. The company’s total production output (coming from eleven mines altogether)