Today in Russian Business – April 19, 2010

Russia’s first international debt sale since the 1998 financial crisis will see it offering 5 and 10-year dollar bonds, as it plans to borrow as much as $17.8 billion abroad this year.  VimpelCom has withdrawn its lawsuit against Telenor, which means that the firm should have no remaining obstacles against merging its stakes with those of Alfa Group and Ukraine’s Kyivstar.  Prime Minister Vladimir Putin reportedly made a surprise visit to a pharmacy in Murmansk to check that medicine prices were in line with requirements.  Forbes’ Russia edition ranks steel baron Vladimir Lisin as Russia’s richest man, with a $15.8 billion fortune, and notes the recovering fortunes of Russia’s tycoons.  Such as Andrey Melnichenko, who made his fortune on natural resources and banking – his yacht is receiving some lavish attention in the British press.