VKontakte may go under Mail.Ru control

Negotiations are nearing completion, as a result of which the largest Russian social network VKontakte will fully be controlled by Mail.ru Group.

According to Vedomosti , Mail.ru Group , controlled by USM Holding, Alisher Usmanov, is negotiating about the terms of redemption of 48% of the share of LLC “In contact” by the UCP Foundation Ilya Shcherbovich. According to an informed source, the transaction may occur within a few weeks.

The Buyer of the share of UCP can become either Mail.Ru Group itself, or a certain third -party, but friendly group of the group, the source notes.

The cost of VKontakte is about $ 2.9 billion. Thus, the cost of 48% of the social network can reach almost $ 1.4 billion.

The UCP Foundation became a co -owner of VKontakte in April 2013. He bought 48% of the company from former partners of the founder of the social network Pavel Durov - Vyacheslav Mirilashvili and Lev Levieva.

Soon, between UCP , Mail.ru Group and Durov, a conflict flared up, the result of which was the dismissal of Durov from VKontakte in April of this year. Soon Durov left Russia , saying that "now the country is incompatible with business on the Internet."