MOSCOW, February 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) announces that it has invested in the initial public offering (IPO) of the Moscow Exchange and secured leading international investment funds to co-invest in the IPO.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130215/594798 )

The investment is part of a long-term strategy to promote the development of Russian capital markets and broaden the international appeal of the Moscow Exchange.

Prior to the IPO, through its co-investment model, RDIF also attracted other investors to the Exchange; the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Cartesian Capital, BlackRock and China Investment Corporation (CIC).

Kirill Dmitriev, Chief Executive Officer of RDIF, said:

"The interest from international investors shows the attractiveness of the Moscow Exchange and Russia's capital market as a whole."

Following its participation in the IPO RDIF has approximately 4.5% shareholding in the Exchange.

Notes to editors:

Russian Direct Investment Fund (http://www.rdif.ru) was established in June 2011 to make equity investments primarily in the Russian Federation. RDIF's management company is a 100% subsidiary of Vnesheconombank. In each investment it makes, RDIF is mandated to secure co-investment that as a minimum matches its commitment, thus acting as a catalyst for direct investment into the Russian economy.

The Moscow Exchange MICEX-RTS is the leading Russian stock exchange and the leading trading venue for futures and options in Eastern Europe. It provides a wide range of opportunities to investors, professional institutions and their Russian and foreign clients for equities, bonds, currencies as well as derivatives trading.

Contacts for additional information:
For the RDIF:

Maria Medvedeva
Press-secretary
+7-964-7261773
mm@rdif.ru

Hudson Sandler
Andrew Hayes/Andrew Leach/Maria Ignatova/Elena Kuza
Tel +44(0)20-7796-4133

SOURCE Russian Direct Investment Fund