RUSSIA - GREAT BRITAIN: ALLIANCE IN THE SKY

Moscow (Russia), July 2, 2003. - Alexey Isaikin, Volga-Dnepr Group president, was a member of the official Russian delegation that accompanied Russian president Vladimir Putin in his state visit to the Great Britain. Alexey Isaikin was the only representative of the Russian aerospace community taking part in the official negotiations in the frame of the state visit.

Successful co-operation between Volga-Dnepr Group and British partners in such high-tech sector of the economy as air cargo transportation means that Russian-British partnership has a significant potential.

"We have proved that one can do business with Russians and our clients' trust is our main capital. This is the asset that allowed Volga-Dnepr to become the number one in its segment of the world transportation market", said Alexey Isaikin.

Volga-Dnepr has carried out a large number of sophisticated logistic programmes such as transportation of oil-extracting equipment for British Petroleum; Rolls Roys' aircraft engines transportation; vehicles for London-Sydney world rally; for Bentley vintage rally "Towards Saint-Petersburg 300th anniversary" that was held under the patronage of Prince Michel of Kent; transportation of Trust car that set the record for surface supersonic speed; the Christmas Child humanitarian programme; world tours of Rolling Stones, Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney.

Giving a speech at the Russian-British business council in front of the political and business elite of the two countries Alexey Isaikin said: "Today the time has come to establish long-term mutual relations with British partners. Broad experience gained for the last years of co-operation and multi-billion contracts in oil & gas sector that have been signed allow to say that there are foundations for it. We propose the initiative of long-term partnership with British clients, based on mutual benefit and understanding, and ask to support our initiative".

In a frame of the official state visit Alexey Isaikin held negotiations with Piter Truton, representative of the Rotschild family, on potential investments to the Russian aviation industry, and also with Sir Andrew Wood, former Ambassador of Great Britain in Russia, on long-term co-operation between Volga-Dnepr and such companies as British Petroleum and Shell.

Volga-Dnepr is aimed at promoting outsize air cargo on the world market using the unique Antonov An-124-100 freighter. Volga-Dnepr is the leader in outsize air transport controlling more than 50% of the world market. Volga-Dnepr's fleet includes nine Antonov An-124-100s, which is 48% of the world fleet of that aircraft type Under a strategic development plan Volga-Dnepr has turned today into an international group of companies with offices and subsidiaries all over the world, including Great Britain, USA and China. The total volume of the world superheavy and outsize transport market reached some $340 million in 2002. In 2002 Volga-Dnepr Group strengthened its leadership positions on the market and increased its share by 3% up to 50%.