Moscow – December 27, 2007 – Rostelecom (NYSE: ROS; RTS, MICEX: RTKM, RTKMP), Russia’s national long-distance telecommunications operator, today announced the appointment of Konstantin Solodukhin as the Company’s General Director for a period of two years.

The appointment was made by Rostelecom’s Board of Directors according to the recommendation of its Nominations and Remuneration Committee.

Konstantin Solodukhin will assume the position of the Company’s General Director in January 2008.

Alexander Kiselev, Chairman of Rostelecom’s Board of Directors and Svayzinvest’s General Director, commented: “Konstantin Solodukhin’s considerable experience in telecommunications will contribute to the reinforcement of Rostelecom’s position in the highly competitive market we operate in. The Company’s shareholders believe that Rostelecom’s new development strategy will result in stronger financial performance and ensure business diversification.”  

Konstantin Solodukhin was born on December 26, 1965 in Odessa. He holds a degree in Radio Engineering from the Mozhaisky Military Engineering Institute (1989) and an MBA degree from California State University, Hayward (2001).

From 1989 to 1998 Konstantin Solodukhin served in the military where he was involved in a number of design projects in the field of radio electronics. In 1999, he was appointed as Director for Business Development at Central Telegraph, Moscow’s leading data transmission service provider. As the Director for Business Development, Konstantin Solodukhin was responsible for generating and implementing the company’s strategic development programs as well as launching new projects and services, such as telephone and Internet access services for corporate customers in Moscow and the Moscow region on the back of the Centel integrated digital network. In 2002, he was promoted to First Deputy General Director.

In November 2004 Konstantin Solodukhin was appointed First Deputy General Director of Multiregional Transit Telecom (“MTT”) and became MTT’s General Director in February 2005.