Rostelecom (NYSE: ROS; RTS, MICEX: RTKM, RTKMP), Russia's national long-distance telecommunications operator, today announced the appointment of Olga Rumyantseva as Commercial Director of the Company.

Olga Rumyantseva assumed office on April 1, 2005, followed Gioulnara Khasianova. Olga Rumyantseva previously held the position of Deputy Commercial Director — Head of the Company's Marketing Department, for several past months acting as the Commercial Director of Rostelecom.

Olga Rumyantseva has vast experience in telecommunications: before joining Rostelecom she was Sales Director of Sovintel, responsible for corporate clients.

Dmitry Yerokhin, Rostelecom's General Director, commented: « At the moment we are getting ready to face in a proper way all challenges of the market — increasing competition, changes in the structure and volume of our customer base as well as new trends in demand for telecom services. We have already done much for the Company to remain competitive in liberalized telecom market and now Rostelecom's Commercial Department is to further improve marketing & sales system to strengthen the Company's leadership in the Russian telecommunications market.»

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Certain statements in this press release are «forward-looking statements» within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws and are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby.

These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

These risks include the risk of changes the Company’s operations and business prospects, the general financial and economic circumstances, relating to regulation of the Russian telecommunications industry and the Russian legislation; the competition and other risks.

For a more detailed discussion of these and other factors, see the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for its most recently completed fiscal year and the Company’s other public filings with The  U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Many of these factors are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict. Given these and other uncertainties, the Company cautions not to place undue reliance on any of the forward-looking statements contained herein or otherwise.

The Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as maybe required under applicable the U.S. federal securities laws.

Rostelecom Headquarters Address: 14, 1st Tverskaya-Yamskaya street, Moscow, 125047, Russia

Phone: +7 (095) 972–82–83 Fax: (095) 787–28–50