MOSCOW, Russia — MTS (NYSE: MBT, MOEX: MTSS), Russia’s leading telecommunications operator and digital services provider, announces that the RAEX (Expert RA) rating agency has upgraded its rating for MTS from ruAA to ruAA+ with a stable outlook.

In its press release, RAEX cited “a number of factors that reflect the Company’s improved financial stability,” including (1) solid core business performance relative to peers; (2) further potential for debt optimization amid a lower interest rate environment; and (3) “steady revenue diversification” as the Company continues to move beyond connectivity and expand into new growth areas.

For further information, please see RAEX's press release (in Russian).

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For further information, please contact in Moscow:

Investor Relations Department 
Mobile TeleSystems PJSC 
Tel: +7 495 223 2025 
E-mail: ir@mts.ru