Ford Union Leader Attacked

Alexei Etmanov, the head of a union at Ford's plant outside St. Petersburg, said Tuesday that he received a death threat over the weekend after warding off an attack by three assailants.

On Friday, three men attacked Etmanov on his way home from work, but he was able to escape after breaking free and opening fire with a pellet gun, he said, regional news agency Zaks.ru reported. The next day, he received a call threatening his life "if he keeps up his work," Etmanov said. (MT)

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Rosneft Vs. Russneft

Rosneft filed a 5 billion ruble ($180 million) lawsuit against closely held oil producer Russneft.

Rosneft subsidiary Samaraneftegaz filed the suit Monday, citing an "economic dispute," the Moscow Arbitration Court said. Pavel Markov will be the judge presiding over the case, according to the web site. (Bloomberg)

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Tatneft Exceeds Forecast

Tatneft said it produced more oil in October than it had previously forecast.

Tatneft produced 2.1 million metric tons of crude last month, 35,440 tons more than it expected, it said. The producer has extracted 21.6 million tons of oil so far this year, 75,429 tons more than in the first 10 months of 2007, the statement said. (Bloomberg)

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Deripaska's Plant Downsizes

A Siberian pulp plant controlled by billionaire Oleg Deripaska is cutting 60 percent of its staff and maintaining an output freeze because of measures to reduce pollution of Lake Baikal.

The plant suspended cellulose production on Oct. 2, about a month after introducing a closed, internal drainage system that halts discharges into Baikal.

Continental Management is eliminating 1,377 out of 2,300 jobs at the plant in Baikalsk and will extend the output freeze until Feb. 10, it said Tuesday. (Bloomberg)

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Gazprom-Ukraine Talks

Russia and Ukraine have made "significant progress" toward agreeing on a long-term contract for natural gas supplies, Gazprom said.

Ukraine, which gets most of its gas from Russia, must agree on a price for 2009 supplies to secure deliveries for domestic use and for Europe. (Bloomberg)

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VSMPO Sees Orders Falling

VSMPO-Avisma, the world's biggest titanium producer, said orders may fall as much as 50 percent if business from Boeing and Airbus declines, Interfax reported.

VSMPO will hold talks with Boeing and Airbus this month, CEO Yevgeny Romanov said. It will seek to offset the drop in foreign orders by selling more in Russia, he said. (Bloomberg)

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For the Record

UralPlatinum Holding, owned by billionaire Viktor Vekselberg and Mark Buzuk, discovered the country's biggest platinum deposit since the Soviet era, Kommersant said. (Bloomberg)

Russia's strategy to increase oil, gas, coal and electricity production through 2030 will cost about $2 trillion, Vedomosti reported. (Bloomberg)

Silvinit said its board recommended a dividend of 440 rubles ($16.11) a share for the first nine months of the year. (Bloomberg)

Norilsk Nickel bought $129 million of depositary receipts before a court order halted a buyback of its stock. (Bloomberg)