OREANDA-NEWS. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services assigned its "BB-" long term corporate credit rating to Comstar United TeleSystems (JSC) (Comstar), Moscow-based leading combined telecommunications operator in Russia and CIS. The rating outlook is positive.

At the same time, Standard & Poor's assigned its "ruAA" Russia national scale rating to the company.

The rating is restrained by the creditability of the basic shareholder of the company “JSFC “Sistema”, which owns 51% stake in Comstar and thus, has an opportunity to control over its strategy and financial policy.

Rating is also restrained by such factors, as obvious orientation of the company on business expansion, necessity of further modernization of its complicated and wide Moscow network, dynamical and competitive market, as well as uncertainty of the prospects of communication sector’s reforming.