Plans by the Sistema subsidiary Comstar-UTS to secure control of Russia’s largest telco Svyazinvest may be thwarted. Local reports indicate that the government is prepared to oppose plans that would give minority shareholders – such as Comstar UTS now is in Svyazinvest – a bigger say in its operation. Last December Comstar-UTS secured a 25% plus one share stake in Svyazinvest for $1.3 billion (€951.6 million). The state, through the Federal Property Agency, still retains a 75% minus 1% stake.
