OREANDA-NEWS. December 26, 2008.  The Russian government has published a list of 295 companies which are to be entitled to state crisis aid. Among them are a number of key enterprises in Northwest Russia.

The companies, all of them accounting for vital parts of the Russian economy, will be entitled to special support from the state, thus making them practically immune to bankruptcy.

The list is divided into 25 categories among which the energy companies is the most numerous (35), followed by metallurgy companies (32) and transport companies (30).

The list has been elaborated by a government commission and was approved on 23 December. Also several media companies.

Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina says however that the list is still in need of revision. Also press secretary to the prime minister, Mr. Dmitry Peskov admits that more companies will later be added to the list.

In the Russian part of the Barents Region, all the main companies are included. Among them are TGK-1 and TGK-2, the Murmansk Shipping Company, Sevmash and Zvezdochka. In addition come huge companies like Gazprom, Rosneft, Norilsk Nickel, Rusal, Severstal and many more.

The companies all have a turnover of at least 15 billion RUB and a minimum workforce of 4000.