Investments of Russian telecoms in CIS countries – current state and prospects for the future - October 2009

Russian telecommunication operators have been expanding aggressively in the CIS since the early 2000s, but no major deals were recorded in 2008 or 2009. The move on the part of Russian operators toward business diversification into adjacent areas, uncertainty over the fate of Svyazinvest, the national state-run fixed-line holding, the high cost of telecommunication assets, and, of course, the more restrictive investment opportunities amid the financial crunch, have all contributed to the break which Russian operators took during the process of intensifying their expansion into the CIS markets. Nevertheless, investment activity is likely to resume in the near future, and a number of deals can be expected in 2010-2011.