Today in Russian Business – July 11, 2008

The labor union at Norilsk Nickel reportedly wants the company’s board to reappoint billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov as its chief executive. Russia has begun replacing its state-run companies’ bureaucrats with independent directors. Russia’s civil aviation industry expects to win contracts worth at least $1.5 billion at the UK’s Farnborough Air Show. Russia may overtake Germany this year as Europe’s largest automotive market by sales. State arms operator Rosoboronexport has pledged to sell $6.1 billion worth of weapons this year.