Moscow – April 21, 2006 – Rostelecom (NYSE: ROS; RTS and MICEX: RTKM, RTKMP), Russia’s national long-distance telecommunications operator, today announced that the Board of Directors met on April 21, 2006 to discuss matters related to the Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting.

The Board set the date for Rostelecom’s Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting (hereinafter – AGM) as June 24, 2006. The AGM will be held at the Company’s Bekasovo Training Center (Moscow region, Naro-Fominsky district).

Shareholders of record at May 5, 2006 will be entitled to participate in the AGM and receive dividends.

The Board of Directors has recommended the following annual dividends for 2005 to the Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting:

- RUR 3.7178 per preferred share. The total amount of dividends to be paid to holders of preferred shares will amount to RUR 902.8 million or 10.0% of 2005 RAS net profit;

- RUR 1.5617 per ordinary share. The total amount of dividends to be paid to holders of ordinary shares will amount to RUR 1,138.0 million or approximately 12.6% of 2005 RAS net profit;

- The total amount of the proposed dividend for 2005 is RUR 2,040.8 million, representing a 14.3% increase compared to 2004.

Holders of the American Depositary Receipts will receive payment in accordance with the 1:6 ratio of ADR to ordinary shares. ADR holders will receive the dividend in US dollars through their usual financial intermediary.

Further details on the agenda and other issues related to the AGM as well as information on dividend payment procedures will be made available in the Corporate Governance section within the Investor Center of Rostelecom's