OREANDA-NEWS. Mobile TeleSystems PJSC  announces the acquisition of shares representing 3.29% of its charter capital.

The shares, which equal 67,995,335 ordinary shares (in the form of 33,997,667 ADRs), previously were held by Mobile TeleSystems Bermuda Limited ("MTS Bermuda"), a wholly owned subsidiary of MTS. The shares were originally acquired as part of a share repurchase program launched in 2006. On December 17, 2015, the Board of Directors of MTS reached a decision to liquidate MTS Bermuda, a process through which MTS has taken possession of the shares.

As shares now directly held as treasury shares in accounts controlled by MTS, the Company is not permitted under Russian law to pay dividends on these shares.