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Russian VimpelCom cell giant 2005 net profit rises 130%

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  • Russian VimpelCom cell giant 2005 net profit rises 130%

    Russian VimpelCom cell giant 2005 net profit rises 130%
    14:56 | 07/ 07/ 2006

    RIA Novosti, Russia
    July 7 2006

    MOSCOW, July 7 (RAIA Novosti) - VimpelCom (RTS: VIMP) said Friday
    its net profit calculated according to Russian accounting standards
    increased by 130% to 16.73 billion rubles ($621.66 million) in 2005
    year-on-year.

    Russia's second largest mobile phone operator said its 2005 revenues
    had risen three times to 72.89 bln rubles ($2.71 billion), and the
    gross profit increased by 190% to 51.72 bln rubles ($1.92 billion)
    year-on-year.

    The VimpelCom group includes cell phone operators in Russia, Kazakhstan
    and, following recent acquisitions, in Ukraine, Tajikistan and
    Uzbekistan. The group is licensed to provide mobile phone operations
    to a region home to 232 million people, and covers 94% of Russia's
    population in 78 out of 88 regions.

    VimpelCom is listed in the Russian Industrial Leaders Index (RUXX)
    - a composite economic index of 20 Russian companies with financial
    instruments (shares and depository receipts) placed on bourses,
    including the New York Stock Exchange, the London Stock Exchange,
    the Nasdaq and AMEX.

    The company, which operates under the Beeline trademark in Russia,
    said in June it would be among four bidders for a 90% stake in Armenian
    telecom company ArmenTel, which with about 330,000 users as of late
    March 2006 counts just over a tenth of the country's population as
    its clients. The winner of the tender is expected to be announced
    after July 20.

    The announcement came in the wake of a recent demand for 1.91 billion
    rubles ($70.5 million) in back taxes for 2003-2004 by Russia's tax
    authorities. The demand included 1.5 bln rubles ($55.5 mln) in tax
    arrears, as well as 405 mln rubles ($15 mln) in fines and penalties.

    VimpelCom said it would contest the results of tax authorities'
    checks for 2003-2004. The company said its tax records showed it had
    over-paid for 2003 and 2004 by 796 mln rubles ($29.44 mln), and that
    it had sent its demands to the tax authorities.

    The authorities accepted the company's claim, the statement said,
    and informed VimpelCom that it would refund 795 mln rubles ($29.4 mln).
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