Moscow, August 11, 2004 - RBC (RTS, MICEX: RBCI) has completed the acquisition of the Information Research Center PECOM (Politics, Economics, Marketing), which has the right to 'The Best Brand' trademark. The Best Brand is a national award program in marketing and advertising given to the most successful projects and campaigns in the field of creation and promotion of brands on the Russian market. In 2001, the project joined the EFFIE international system, which is the world's most significant award in the marketing communications industry.

RBC has been cooperating with 'The Best Brand' award for several years, providing it with information support. Today, this award has become an important investment project of the RBC group of companies.

"RBC has unique information and advertising capabilities that will contribute to the development of this project," RBC General Director Yury Rovensky commented. "In particular, the RBC TV business television channel will become one of the key instruments of promoting 'The Best Brand' award. I also would like to confirm that RBC would preserve the traditions of the award and follow obligations to partners and sponsors of the project. Maria Khokhlova will remain the General Manager of the project."

Marketing communications are one of the promising segments of RBC's media business. RBC is the organizer of the prestigious national 'Company of the Year' and 'Person of the Year' awards. Combining these three events together within the framework of one management system will help to considerably decrease their costs. In addition, RBC will have an opportunity to strengthen its standing in the sphere of marketing consulting and to increase its client base, in particular through cooperation with foreign companies that actively participate in 'The Best Brand' projects (the Brand Leaders' summit, and a series of the Master-Branding international forums).

"'The Best Brand' has noticeably enhanced its status and gained the popularity in the business community over the past years," project head Maria Khokhlova believes. "I am confident that at this stage of the award's development, RBC's financial, media and creative potential will help raise the level of 'The Best Brand'."

Investor contact: Natalia Makeeva
Tel: +7 (095) 363-1111 (ext. 1369), e-mail: ir@rbc.ru, Web: www.rbcinfosystems.com