Today in Russian Business – October 5, 2010

The New York Times has the low down on Vimpelcom’s grand plans to become the world’s fifth-largest mobile phone company and gain a foothold in Asia and Africa by buying the telecommunications network of Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris.  Syria could be looking to Russia to supply aircraft for the modernizing of state-run Syrian Arab Airlines and will start with a initial two-plane purchase.  Russia’s biggest private investment bank, Troika Dialog, is considering selling a non-controlling stake to a state lender by the year’s end.  Moscow is apparently the European city that can expect the biggest influx of new foreign companies in the next five years, according to a new study released by Cushman & Wakefield.  The wheat crisis in Russia has unmasked the multiple problems that underlie Russia’s agricultural sector, says an article in the FT.  ‘[S]tate intervention and dubious governance’ are among the reasons why capital inflow into Russia this year will be less than expected whilst a flood of money pours into the emerging markets as a whole.