Photo: Getty Images/Fotobank.ru On April 1, problems may begin with bank cards in Russia - the money will not go where it should, or the amount will be written off twice. The fact is that banks do not have time to test the operation of the National Payment Card System, but no one is going to postpone its launch. Who tests By law, international payment systems are required to transfer all Russian transactions to the National Payment Card System (NSCP) by March 31, 2015.

The head of the Ministry of Economic Development, Alexey Ulyukaev, believes that there is no way to save Mechel from bankruptcy. Previously, VTB gave the metallurgical company a month to resolve the debt problem Russian Minister of Economic Development Alexey Ulyukaev (Photo: Nikolay Asmolovsky for RBC) Russian Minister of Economic Development Alexey Ulyukaev believes that Mechel will not be able to avoid bankruptcy.

Even at the end of last year, when Russians were rushing to spend the depreciating rubles, retailers warned that the buying frenzy would give way to apathy. Watcom's Shopping Index Shows They Were Right Photo: Getty Images Attendance at shopping centers fell during the pre-holiday weeks (see figures; dynamics – week of this year compared to the corresponding week of last year).

GM-Avtovaz has stopped the construction of workshops for the production of the new Chevrolet Niva. The automaker has run out of money for construction, RBC sources in the contractor company say Photo: TASS GM-Avtovaz, a joint venture between AvtoVAZ and the American General Motors, has suspended the construction of a production complex for the production of the second generation Chevrolet Niva.

The Investigative Committee of Russia has formally charged the Governor of the Sakhalin Region, Alexander Khoroshavin, with accepting a bribe in the amount of $5.6 million. His assistant was accused of intermediary in bribery Governor of the Sakhalin Region A.

VTB's net profit according to IFRS decreased 125 times, falling from 100.5 billion rubles. in 2013 to 0.8 billion rubles. in 2014. The bank’s reserves also increased significantly – up to 275.4 billion rubles. Photo: Oleg Yakovlev / RBC VTB's net profit according to IFRS decreased to 0.8 billion rubles, 125 times. This is stated in the VTB reports (RBC has it). According to it, net profit in 2013 amounted to 100.5 billion rubles. The bank also significantly increased its own reserves.

North Korea tested seven surface-to-air missiles to protest joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, Reuters reports . The missiles fell into the East China Sea. “We believe that they tested various types of anti-aircraft missile systems. The range limit of these missiles is about 200 km,” a source in Seoul’s military structures told the agency. He added that Kim Jong-un most likely personally observed the shooting.

The general designer of the Salyut design bureau, which is developing the Angara rocket, Yuri Bakhvalov, was dismissed from his position. One of the reasons for the resignation was the specialist’s disagreement with the enterprise reform program.

An extraordinary additional convoy of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations went to Donbass. this to TASS . Oleg Voronov, Deputy Head of the National Center for Crisis Management of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, reported “It [the column] left the Don Rescue Center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and is heading to the state border,” Voronov said.

Columns of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations delivered humanitarian aid to Donetsk and Lugansk. This was announced by the Deputy Head of the National Center for Crisis Management of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation Oleg Voronov. He said that cars are already being unloaded at the warehouses. In total, the ministry delivered 250 tons of food, construction materials and materials to support the sowing campaign.

The production of Volkswagen and Skoda cars in Nizhny Novgorod has been switched to a four-day working week since the beginning of March. This was announced by the company’s director of public relations, Natalya Kostyukovich, TASS reports . She said that the reason for this was the fall in demand for cars in Russia.

Rescuers are looking for 17 to 19 people at the site of the Admiral shopping center that burned down in Kazan. This was announced by the head of the Volga regional center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation Igor Panshin, RIA Novosti reports .

VTB does not yet see constructive steps from Mechel, so it is acting within the framework of the bankruptcy procedure. The head of the bank, Andrei Kostin, stated this in an interview with Rossiya 24. Andrey Kostin However, he noted that the possibility of reaching an agreement still remains. “Sometimes you are surprised that you have to repeat simple logic to borrowers - the money taken must be returned.

The Moscow City Hall is testing a paid access service for citizens to the city video surveillance system, to which 145 thousand cameras are connected in entrances, schools, parks, streets and squares, writes . Kommersant City authorities are considering the possibility of connecting to cameras at a price of 22 rubles. per month and per minute rates. Currently, only law enforcement agencies, emergency and utility workers have access to the system.

On March 16, President Vladimir Putin will hold negotiations with the head of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev. this . reports The Kremlin press service “The agenda of the high-level negotiations involves discussing key issues of further strengthening Russian-Kyrgyz cooperation, primarily in the trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as in the energy sector,” the statement said.