‘Things are rather hard at VIZ-Stal, Uralmashzavod, Pnevmostroymachina, Concern Kalina, and Yekaterinburg’s other backbone enterprises. The only two companies that managed to raise their shipping output in the first quarter of the year were Uralmashzavod and Ural Civil Aviation Plant, with outputs rising by 29% and 14%, respectively. At the same time, Uralkhimmash, Ural Turbine Plant, and VIZ-Stal’s outputs dropped by 3%, 20%, and 75%, respectively, compared to a year earlier. Pnevmostroymachina is experiencing the greatest difficulties, with output plummeting by 96% compared to the first quarter of 2008,’ Deputy Mayor of Yekaterinburg Alexander Vysokinskiy said at the regional government officials’ meeting.

‘These figures only indicate the ruble prices, so, given the inflation rate and the dropping produce prices, the trouble is even more serious than it looks,’ he added.