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The Moscow Times Moscow Guide – Winter 2008

Since the middle of autumn one of the most important topics of discussion, could only be … no, not the financial crisis… New Year! The winter issue of The Moscow Times Moscow Guide is entirely devoted to New Years celebrations. Seven great ideas for celebrating the “Night of Nights” will help readers finalise their plans and choose how and where to party, give fresh ideas and lots of practical advice.

And don’t forget – problems will come by themselves, but happiness and luck need an invitation. That why the more cheerful and light-hearted your celebration of the coming holiday is, the happier and more successful 2009 will be for you.

The Crisis: Signs of a Kremlin Fearful Of Unrest
Sociologist Yevgeny Gontmakher has painted a disturbing picture of what might emerge from the financial crisis, forecasting continued unemployment, huge protests and spreading violence.

Market Matters: Huge Grain Harvest No Boon for Farmers
This year Russia is enjoying the biggest grain harvest it has ever seen -- and farmers couldn't be more worried.



Tuesday, January 06, 2009 Updated at 31 December 2008 22:36 Moscow Time.

The Moscow Times » Issue 4000 » News

VimpelCom Seeks Approval for Yevroset Stake

01 October 2008By Nadia Popova / Staff WriterVimpelCom chief executive Alexander Izosimov said in an interview late Tuesday that the company filed a request to the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service to buy a stake in Yevroset.

"This is a normal preparatory move. The deal would be of interest to us," Izosimov said, declining to elaborate.

A source who saw the request said VimpelCom was bidding to buy "more than 25 percent." Altimo, an Alfa Group subsidiary that owns 44 percent of VimpelCom, was also mentioned as a party in the deal, the source said.

Yevroset, the country's largest cell phone retailer, was sold to billionaire Alexander Mamut last month. VimpelCom is Russia's second-largest mobile phone operator.

Mamut, Altimo and the anti-monopoly service did not respond to calls for comment Tuesday evening. Yevroset chairman and former co-owner Yevgeny Chichvarkin said by telephone that he couldn't comment on the matter.

Eldar Murtazin, chief analyst at Mobile Research Group, said Mamut could be buying Yevroset with the aim of passing it on to VimpelCom.

"VimpelCom didn't buy Yevroset directly because it would have spoiled its profitability indicators," he said.

"VimpelCom's EBITDA is about 50 percent, while Yevroset has only about 3 percent," he said, referring to earnings before interest, taxes, debt and amortization. "The deal might be structured … so that Yevroset doesn't directly affect the VimpelCom's results."