Today in Russian Business – September 29, 2009

The Russian government plans to invite Singaporean investors to buy up stakes in state-owned firms, as part of the Kremlin’s privatization drive.  Potash producer Silvinit may seek a foreign company to help it develop its largest field, according to Bloomberg.  Reuters has a feature on how the Lada is being displaced as Cubans’ car of choice, with the Chinese Geely CK appearing on the roads.  Lada-enthusiasts says however that the automobile will retain its ‘cult status’.  Russia’s biggest mobile phone operator MTS has secured two loans worth $1.96 billion from Sberbank to be used to finance investments, including a potential purchase of a 51% stake in Comstar.  Mobile phones sales fell nearly 32% in the third quarter.  Where does Telenor go from here?: Reuters predicts different outcomes of its next appeal hearing.  French prosecutors have dropped a probe into accusations that Mikhail Prokhorov was running a prostitution ring in an Alpine ski resort.  VTB head Andrei Kostin in the Financial Times is optimistic that the worst of the crisis has passed.  Avtovaz is apparently looking for a $400 million loan to help compensate laid-off employees.