Yesterday

announced that the price of Russian gas for Belarus in 2008 will be close to $125 per thousand cubic meters. According to Ambassador Alexander Surikov, the final gas price for Belarus in 2008 will be determined in December. At the same time, he considers the gas price at $150-170 per thousand cubic meters unrealistic. The ambassador also recalled that, in accordance with the contract concluded in December 2006, the gas price for Belarus should be 67% of the average European price. Mr. Surikov stated that there were no problems in forming the fuel and energy balance of the Russian Federation and Belarus for the next year. He said that “the gas balance seems to have already been signed - Belarus will receive 300 million cubic meters more gas next year, deliveries will amount to 21.6 billion cubic meters.” As Gazprom official representative Sergei Kupriyanov explained to Kommersant, the price for Belarus will be formed on the basis of market conditions and calculated according to the formula approved in the contract.

"Interfax"; Olga Kommersant-Mordyushenko

OJSC "Mosenergo"

decided to create a subsidiary thermal company. The board of directors of the energy company approved the establishment of OJSC Moscow United Thermal Company (MOTK), 100% owned by Mosenergo. Yesterday the minutes of the meeting were posted on the Mosenergo website. The authorized capital of MOTK will be 50 million rubles. Nine people have been proposed to the board of directors, including six representatives of Gazprom. The post of general director of the company will be taken by the deputy head of Mezhregionenergosbyt Stanislav Neveinitsyn.

"Interfax"

Vneshtorgbank

paid for Yakut coals. According to the Mechel group, the company has fulfilled its financial obligations to pay for the cost of stakes in Yakutugol Holding Company OJSC and Elgaugol OJSC, acquired during an auction on October 5 for 58.2 billion rubles. (See Kommersant of October 6). “The deal was financed using our own and borrowed funds, the bulk of which was provided by VTB Bank,” said Mechel executive director Alexey Ivanushkin. At the same time, the company’s press service clarified that the bank in this case acts as an independent lender, and not as part of the proposed “consortium,” and accredited Mechel directly. The company declined to comment to Kommersant regarding the possibility of further loans from VTB, as well as to report on the agreement reached with Sumitomo Bank to provide a syndicated loan in the amount of $1 billion.

Dmitry Kommersant-Smirnov

Group "Kaskol"

Sergei Nedoroslev informed Kommersant about increasing her stake to 50% minus one share in Avia Management Group CJSC , a joint project of the company with Sergei Generalov’s Industrial Investors LLC (air taxi under the Dexter brand). “Initially, when we became the owner of 25% plus one share, we agreed on an option for an additional purchase of another 25%,” Sergei Nedoroslev, chairman of the board of directors of Kaskol Management Company LLC, told Kommersant. According to him, the group took advantage of the option back in March 2006. Previously, the press was officially informed only of the company's intentions to do this.

Alexey Kommersant-Ekimovsky

Developers "Moscow City"

found not guilty. The Moscow Arbitration Court yesterday terminated proceedings on the claim of Rosprirodnadzor against two contractors of the Moscow City project - CJSC Trest MSM-1 and Rasen Stroy - for the recovery of 6.6 billion rubles. for polluting the Moscow River. This decision was made in connection with the refusal of Rosprirodnadzor from the claims (Kommersant wrote about them in detail on August 31).

"Interfax"

Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Minsk