Business in Russia Oral Hygiene Products

Oral hygiene products have certainly come along way since the Chinese first plucked the hairs off of a cold climate pig and pasted them onto an animal bone to invent the first toothbrush over 3,000 years ago. Recent incarnations of the toothbrush have drawn from modern technology to create brush heads that rotate, oscillate, massage and polish and even one that channels music vibrations through the bristles to play songs inside your head (the Hasbro Tooth Tunes).

The latest brush to be launched onto the Russian market is the new Sonic Elite 9500 from Philips. It offers Russian consumers a brush utilizing sonic technology to create a ‘dynamic fluid cleaning action' and features an interval timer to encourage brushing of each quadrant of your mouth and an ergonomic tapered handle with non-slip luxury grip.

Priced at 5,000 rubles, this new addition to the market taps into the current trend among Russian consumers towards buying increasingly more expensive oral hygiene products.

The demand for these premium products appears to be driven largely by cosmetic concerns: "What we see in the Russian market is a tendency for consumers to look more towards the beauty benefits of these products versus the health benefits," says Erik Hollander, Philips commercial director for Europe.

Oral care products currently account for around 14 percent of cosmetics sales in Russia according to a report released earlier this year by Kline & Company, as compared to only 9 percent of cosmetics sales worldwide.

Although toothpastes are currently driving the market, dynamic areas of growth include tooth whiteners, dental floss as well as power toothbrushes:

"Our latest estimate of the total power toothbrush market in Russia is about 25 million euros," Hollander continues. "And the high-end, the segment where we are pitching the Elite, is around 10 million euros; this makes it bigger than France or Spain.

The growth rate in Russia for us is around 20 percent each year, so this makes it a very interesting market to invest in."

Euromonitor predicts that the overall Russian market for beauty products will triple over the next two years to $18 billion by 2010, 53 percent of which will come from imported products.

Russian women currently spend considerably more of their monthly income on cosmetics products than their American and Western European counterparts, around 12 percent according to COMCON.

But a large proportion of the growth in beauty products sales is expected to come from Russian men, whose disposable income - they currently earn 40 percent more than Russian women - is being increasingly targeted with cosmetic products specifically designed and positioned to appeal to men.

Hotel Cosmos

Hotel Cosmos Moscow

There is no one in Moscow, who does not know how the Cosmos Hotel looks like and where it is situated.
This majestic 26 floor hotel”Cosmos” was built in 1979 in accordance with a design by French architects, and is truly an impressive sight for both visitors and native Muscovites.

A 4-star Cosmos Hotel has rich resources for providing both effective work and comfortable leisure, The Cosmos Hotel offers to its Russian and foreign guests the best accommodation for reasonable money.
It is advantageously situated on the arterial road of the capital – Prospect Mira, in ecologically safe, beautiful and green district and just 200 meters from the nearest metro station, that allows to get the city centre in 15-20 minutes. Unique high-rise property long ago became indefeasible part of the city, its singularity. Original architecture and modern style are memorable long after seeing.

The Cosmos Hotel offers the best accommodation with fully equipped modern facilities. It offers a choice of 1,767 guest rooms, including 53 2-room suites and 6 apartments. . Rooms situated at the front of the hotel feature impressive views of the Exhibition Complex opposite. Each member of the Hotel's staff aims to create and maintain a polite and friendly atmosphere. Standard rooms are clean and comfortable and feature direct-dial telephone, TV with local and satellite channels, private bath and shower, mini-safe, mini-bar and hairdryer. All room prices include a buffet breakfast and all taxes.

The Cosmos Hotel features five restaurants and four cafe-bars:

Planet Cosmos Panoramic Restaurant

The Planet Cosmos Restaurant is located on the top floor of the hotel.
Breathtaking panoramic city sights through the restaurant windows (mind the 25th floor!).
The restaurant specializes on international cuisine. The guests will enjoy the menu of the Planet Cosmos. The names of some dishes are associated with cosmic themes: for example, the Planet Parade or the Sweet Asteroid. Come enjoy exquisite cuisine while watching the Moscow skyline from 99-meters height!

Terrasa Restaurant-Bar

The Terrasa Restaurant is located on the balcony of the first floor. The menu features dishes of both Russian and European cuisines, an extensive choice of wine, beer and other alcohol drinks.

Nice interiors and spontaneous environment are perfect for business lunches and evenings with friends. In the evenings the guests of the Terrasa Restaurant enjoy live music. Those who wish are welcome to play darts or billiards. From 17:00 to 18:00 is the restaurant's "happy hours", when all the drinks are half-priced.
Lovely atmosphere, Karaoke, Billiards.

Konfuci Restaurant

The stylishly decorated Konfuci Restaurant offers dishes of Chinese and Japanese cuisine. In this venue one can try sushi, fish and meat dishes, various kinds of green tea and delicious desserts.

The cosy Konfuci (Confucius) Chinese restaurant has 50 seats, among traditional Chinese dishes it offers a big variety of Japanese ones. Various Chinese and Japanese starters and snacks, soups, rice, noodles, meat and chicken, seafood dishes, vegetable dishes, specialties, garnishes, desserts, tea.


The hospitable Dariali Restaurant offers dishes of Caucasian cuisine.

Elegant interiors, qualitative service and culinary masterpieces prepared according the old Caucasian recipes will make an evening spent in the Dariali full of pleasant emotions and memories.Business centre is located on the balcony of the main lobby (level 3).

The Cosmos Hotel features truly unique conference and banquet facilities catering to any happening from business meetings, seminars, cocktail receptions to large-scale forums, congresses, concerts and exhibitions.
24 hours a day it provides a wide range of business services from photocopying to rent-a-car.

Fitness Centre combines all the top features, that today's fitness industry has to offer to ensure you enjoy the time spent here. The new outlet is a large recreation complex bringing our guests extended leisure, sport and relaxation services without leaving the hotel. The swimming pool of 240 sq. meters is now one of the largest indoor hotel swimming pools in Moscow.

Other facilities and services include: Gym (218 sq. m) with a brand new complete cardio line system True Interantional, block and free weight training equipment Tuff Stuff. Aerobics hall (100 sq. m) with a special “floating” floor to protect weight bearing. More than 20 training programs including Asian sets. Aqua-Aerobics, Solarium (vertical), Water slides, Jacuzzi, Fitness bar.Recreation area with chaise longues and live plants , Sportswear and accessories shop. Safe deposit boxes Bowling

Cosmos Hotel Moscow
150 Prospect Mira
Moscow 129366

Trans Siberian Railway

Sit back and relax as I take you on a wondrous journey that transcends Russia, one third of the globe, from east to west..Imagine sitting in a comfortable seat, looking out at the spectacular scenery and cities on your seven day journey.

I am talking about one of Russia’s most famous delights and adventures; the one week excursion on the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow in the west to Vladivostok, of the Far East region of Russia. It is the longest continuous rail line on earth --almost ten thousand kilometers (about six thousand miles).

Traveling across the Russia on the Trans-Siberian train give you the opportunity to see with your own eyes everything that you might have heard about this mysterious land of expansive forests, beautiful cities and the wilds of nature. Your journey will allow you to see beautifully designed architectures of hundreds of churches; amazing sun rises and even more spectacular sunsets. Your journey will allow you to view Russia in all her natural splendor as your adventure takes you through 7 time zones.

Your journey begins when you board the train in the opulent and cavernous station of Moscow. During your adventure you will have many stopovers in almost 100 different cities both large and small. The Trans-Siberian train stops several times a day, from just a few minutes to more than a half an hour. You will get the pleasure of interacting with simple Russians during the short stop-overs. These Russian stations are often mini markets and you can see there everything from wild berries, farm sausages, delicious smoked fish to different souvenirs and hats made from the fur of red, black, and white foxes.

You will have an opportunity to observe different architectural styles of the various towns and train stations. Most of them were build during the middle of the last century of the Stalin era and at the end of the 19th century.

You will travel through one of Russia's oldest cities, called Yaroslavl which was founded by Yaroslav the Wise in the year 1010. Another city, Yekaterinburg, was founded in 1721 by Catherine the Great. This is the city where Tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed in 1918.


The experience will also propel you through numerous tunnels, some of them more than 2 km long. Feel and see the experience of riding in your rail car near by the deepest lake in the world, Baikal, which is said to hold one fifth of the world’s fresh water.

Along the way you will see the biggest Siberian cities of Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk , watching the vast Siberian taiga which is the largest remaining forest in the world. The train will also stop in the city of Ulan -Ude which house the Tibetan Buddhist monastery - the center of Buddhism in Russia.

Finally you will arrive in Vladivostok, the last city of Russia Far East. Vladivostok is they gateway to Korea, China and Japan. During the Soviet era, Vladivostok was a secret military base and was completely closed, not only to all foreigners but even to the citizens of all regions of the then, Soviet Union. You needed special permits just to visit relatives that lived in Vladivostok. After 1992 this city was opened to all and now anyone can see this beautiful “sea port” on the hills, named the " Russian San-Francisco” which is surrounded by the gorgeous Gold Horn Bay

Although the Trans Siberian Railway end in the sea port of Vladivostok, your journey does not need to end there. You could travel on to Russia’s eastern neighbors, Japan, Korea and China.

Have a wonderful journey!

Lord of the East

"Lord of the East" Vladivostok

To many world-wide travelers seeking adventure, the Russian Far East is a very desirable place to visit, and of course if you are going to visit this region, you do not want to miss seeing the famous sea port, Vladivostok.

Vladivostok, meaning the “Lord of the East” in Russian, is located less than 75 miles east of the Chinese border, approximately 100 miles north of Korea and just across the Sea of Japan from the main Japanese island of Honshu but a very distant 6,200 miles east of Moscow

Interestingly, this beautiful sea port city was so far from the center of communist rule, when Russia was better known as the Soviet Union, that it was not until 1954 that a leader of the USSR visited this city. I am talking about Nikita Khrushchev, a man who became famous, worldwide, for his eccentric statements and actions. He was the first one to call Vladivostok the “Russian San-Francisco” which in many ways is a fairly accurate comparison.

Like San Francisco, the city of Vladivostok is located on a hilly region surrounded by a bay, in this case the Gold Horn Bay. Visitors who arrive to this city enjoy the spectacular view, which is surprisingly similar to San Francisco.

Vladivostok is also the home port of the Russian Navy’s pacific fleet, and there are hundreds of military ships and submarines located in the Gold Horn Bay. As a result of this, the city of Vladivostok was a closed region for more than 70 years. Vladivostok was city for a military installation, and even Russian citizens wanting to visit relatives, were forbidden to travel to this city without special permits and passes. It was not until the year of 1992 that Vladivostok was officially opened for foreign visitors as well as the rest of the Russian population.

Today thousands of tourists from all over the world travel to Vladivostok. Some take the wonderful 7 day journey from Moscow on the Trans Siberian Railway, while others prefer to travel to Japan or China, and finally finishing their adventure by arriving at the Russian “Lord of the East”. Many travelers make the exciting journey by the ship, going to every worlds’ major sea port including Vladivostok.

Vladivostok attracts many tourists’ attention not only because of its’ beautiful location, but also for its’ very rich history.
There are quite a few historical buildings and monuments still standing that hold the memories of many events from the 1860, when this city was founded, to present day.
These historical buildings remember the times when Vladivostok was given a free trade status with the purpose of encouraging foreign trade in 1878. More than 40% of the 4000 residents of the time were foreign nationals which allowed the city to have diversity from the various cultures that traded and resided within the city’s boundaries.

There are still building standing that, if they could speak, could tell you about the times of the Russian-Japanese war, when a squadron of Japanese warships attacked the city firing over a hundred shots.
Vladivostok’s hills saw the Japanese, British, and American cruisers entered the Golden Horn Bay in 1917, and the supporters of the Bolsheviks conducted a partisan struggle in the city.

From 1917 to 1922 Vladivostok became a cultural bastion.

During the ensuing years, beginning in 1917, Vladivostok became a haven for many Russians trying to escape from the clutches of the new Soviet regime, settling in the port city while retreating to the east together with the White Army. Among them were many Russians, the creative intelligentsia from Moscow and St Petersburg. They established conservatories, theaters, symphony orchestras and art centers in Vladivostok before escaping to countries such as Australia, China, the USA, and other lands after the Bolsheviks, in 1922, achieved victory in the Far East.

This city can still remember the 1930s when the Stalinist repressions began and the transit camps were constructed housing political prisoners from the Western regions of Russia to Kolyma, and to the new camp in Vladivostok.

This city remembers when it was Russia’s biggest military port during the cold war and the beginning of “Perestroika.”  Now, Vladivostok is filled with businesses from all over the world coming to take advantage of the city's position as the gate to modern Russia, Japan, China and Korea.
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Author Marina Smiley Travel to Russia

Permission is hereby granted to reprint this article as long as the paragraph above is included with active links

Russian Weather

If you are thinking about visiting Russia as a tourist or plan on staying in Russia for a long period of time then you might wonder what is the climate like prior going to this country.

Russia, as you know, is a very cold country with a continental climate, typically characterized by long winter and short summer. During summer it often gets pretty hot. In Moscow, for example, it is not surprising to have summer temperature above 30C (86F).


Russia is a largest country in the world, with eleven time zones, and it is almost twice as big as USA .
As you understand climate can be different in different areas of the country. It is softer near the Black Sea, this area has mild winters but it has a lot of rain all the year round.  In the central areas of Russian, the difference of temperature between winter and Summer is huge, 30+ C in summer, and -30 C in the Winter.

So what is the best time to visit Russia ?

Your best choice would be to plan your trip in early Fall.  September is a beautiful month in almost all Russian territory. The temperature is not that hot and not yet cold.  October is a rain season and from November to April Russian weather is very cold. But if you like snow and not afraid of cold temperature, then you will love Russian winter!  Nature looks as beautiful as in a fairy tale.

Early spring bring a lot of mud and rain, but later spring and early summer are very nice months to visit Russia.  Of course everyone is interested in the weather. You can check the current weather in different Russian cities below.

Weather Forecasts in 3000+ Russian cities

Converting Temperatures: To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32, then divide by 1.8
To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, multiply by 1.8, then add 32.

Airline Mile Credit Cards

Typically, airline mile credit card offers thousands of bonus miles just for signing up, and cardholder earns 1 airline mile for each dollar spent on the card.

As a traveler you've probably thought about getting a frequent flyer card so you can earn miles for free. The concept behind frequent flyer programs is that the airlines want their passengers to become lifetime customers.
The more frequently you fly with them, the greater your rewards!

Each airline mile credit card is a bit different:  Read the fine details in the card's terms and conditions to find out how many airline miles you gain for every dollar spent in purchases.



-Check out how many airline miles you will need to accumulate before you qualify for a free airline ticket.

-Find out whether or not airline miles expire if you do not use them within a specified amount of time.
Many airline reward cards often partner with hotel chains, rental car companies , mortgages and stock trades, and even long-distance telephone companies! Shopping at certain stores also provides an opportunity to accumulate frequent flyer miles.

Airlines offer promotions when customers purchase tickets to certain destinations, on specific dates, or in a specific way, allowing miles to add up more quickly.

If you must make a last-minute travel arrangement, you may end up paying big bucks for an airline ticket. Using a free ticket that you earned from an airline card in this situation could really work to your advantage and you can afford the usually high ticket cost by cashing in the airline miles.

Join the program that will allow you to consolidate your miles. Your frequent flyer miles reside in your account -- much like your dollars in the bank.
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Author Marina Smiley Travel to Russia
Permission is hereby granted to reprint this article as long as the paragraph above is included with active links

Kamchatka

Among the mysteries of the Russian language there is an expression “Sitting on Kamchatka” which in school slang, this idiom means, “to sit in the back row of the classroom, far enough from the teacher’s strict gaze.
This geographical idiom originates from the Kamchatka region of the Far East,

Baikal Lake

Do you know Where twenty percent of the Earth's fresh water is hidden ?

One of the most spectacular and unspoiled places on earth, which attracts tourists worldwide, is lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world. This lake is considered to have the purest and most tasteful water known to man.

Moscow Hotels

According to the Moscow City Government’s data, there are about 150 hotels in the city at the moment offering over 62,500 rooms for over 3.6 million foreign and inter-city guests each year.

The number of hotel rooms in Moscow is expected to double in 2005 to 130,000.


In the bad old days, Moscow's hotels were the bleak reflection of Soviet society. Ten years later, you would be hard-pressed to find one that does not measure up to Western standards.

Airport Sheremetyevo 2 Hotel

Rossija Hotel Moscow

This hotel is located on the bank of the Moskva River with the marvellous view of the city and few steps from Red Square the Kremlin and the Bolshoy Theatre.

Built in 1967, the Hotel Rossija is one of the largest in Europe. Its prestigious location and easy access to the political, business and cultural centers of Moscow provide you an excellent base for discovering this great city during your stay in Moscow.

Address: Rossija Hotel Moscow

6 Varvarka Street
Moscow 101435
Russia

Izmailovo Gamma-Delta Hotel Moscow

The enormous Izmailovo Gamma-Delta Hotel complex was built in 1979 on the site of the historic Izmailovo village and Royal Estate, where Peter The Great grew up, and renovated in 1998.

At one time this mammoth hotel complex included five buildings, making it Europe's largest lodging, with thousands of rooms. Now it's four hotels, Alfa, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, with the latter most commonly used by foreigners. A two-minute walk from the lively Izmailovsky flea market, this is a convenient place for the serious souvenir shopper. It's also adjacent to a metro station, close to Izmailovo Royal Estate (where Peter the Great learned to sail), and near Izmailovsky Park, one of the biggest in the city; otherwise this is a trek from most tourist sights. The rooms are basic. 2,000 rooms. 3 restaurants, room service, sauna, 6 bars, meeting room.

Address: Izmailovo Gamma-Delta Hotel Moscow

71 Izmailovskoe Road
Moscow
Russia

Sheremetyevo 2 is the transit hotel and is situated on the territory of the airport Sheremetyevo 2.

If you need a room near Sheremetyevo II airport, try this hotel. The rooms and beds are comfortable, the halls quiet. In addition, the staff is eager to please, and the modern facilities are well maintained.

Russian Military Tour

For all of you thrill seekers who want to see action that the only see in the action packed movies, pumping up the adrenalin and go wild with excitement, then these are the adventures for you.

Go to the east and try Military style tours in Russia .


Russia is ideally suited country for this kind of tourism. We all know how long this super power had been accumulating weapons behind their “iron curtain”. Now, Russia has opened it’s doors widely, to all visitors and welcomes them to the exciting wonders of the world of tourism – its military tourist attractions.
Ordinary people from all over the world are willing to come to Russia for the ultimate experience – to try the “Military Experience.”

Military tourism is one of the fastest growing leisure activities in Russia . Daredevils are trying everything from organized military shoot-outs to space launching. In their quest for the ultimate sensation thrill-seekers are trying more and more of these exciting attractions and here are the various attractions Russia has to offer.

PLANE TRIPS

A Flight on a military plane is a cool attraction because you will be on board a supersonic airplane moving at high rates of speed in aerobatic maneuvers. The trip is full of elaborate maneuvers, photo-hunting and your plane might even be follwed by other combat planes. The length of time and the altitudes are up to you and the assortment of planes is great!

SPACE SIMULATORS 2004

Space simulators are in the Gagarin Space Preparation Center and were originally designed for potential cosmonauts to practice flight simulation aboard Russian space craft such as taking the ship out to orbit, docking the ship with orbit piloted spacecraft, tasks of the flight and coming back to earth. These simulators are hydro laboratory, weightlessness simulator, space vacuum and accelerative forces. All this is surrounded by the starry sky– the space planetarium. You are sure to try on a space-suit, to sit in a huge spin-dryer, thus, to experience a space trip.

SPACE LAUNCHES

Space center Cosmodrom Baikonur is known to be the largest space-vehicle-launching site in the world. The ex-Soviet Union’s top secret location will bring you the grandest show with terrific sound effect. Here you can observe the launching of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, in 1957. The first transcontinental rocket, the first spaceman and many other first launches. You will be provided with a comfortable hotel in the space center with full access to all points of interest.

TANK DRIVES

Driving a tank for 20 minutes for 4 kilometers as you take an active part in the trial run of the armored car, because your tank-driver could be “killed” or “injured”. You might also try tank racing, a Saigon Drive or Afghanistan Drive.


MILITARY SHOOTING

A one-day tour to a target area is one more military-style attraction. You have a wide choice of weapon - from the First World War to the American-type hardware. It will give way to your bravest military dreams. The target can be moving or stable.

Sending Mail in Russia

Sending regular mail to/from Russia is not as complicated as it once used to be. The national mail system is gradually becoming more reliable and delivery times shorter. On average, a letter to/from USA takes about 3 weeks to be delivered.

The simplest way of mailing a letter with the right stamps attached is by putting it in one of the blue mail-boxes. These can be found near all local post-offices and at different locations throughout the city. Every post-office has a box where you can post your international cards and letters. Envelopes, postcards and postage stamps are usually available from small postal desks at tourist hotels. Alternatively, you can buy them at the Central Post Office (Glavpochtamt) or at one of local branch post-offices.
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All post offices should be able to sell you envelopes and stamps, accept recorded mail and handle all correspondence addressed to Russia as well as cards and letters you want to send abroad. If you need faster communications you will have to rely on express-mail, speedy mail arrangements or electronic communications (fax or e-mail).

The following companies offer quicker and more reliable incoming mail services:

-Federal Express
-UPS
-TNT
-DHL

International Home Exchange

You can travel almost anywhere in the world and stay free in private homes or luxury hotels. How? By of the following method: Join a Cooperative Exchange and Travel Club for a small annual membership fee.

Instead of staying in a expensive hotel room, why not stay in a private residence with all the comforts you'd find at home?  As a Travel Club Member you will receive a list of names and addresses from all over the U.S. and throughout the world. Only Vacation Exchange and Travel Club's members receive the list. As a member, you offer your home as a stopping point for compatible people when it is convenient for you. In return, you stay for free in any these homes throughout the world! Most of the people who belong to these Vacation Exchange and Travel clubs are interesting, adventurous and fun-loving.

On your next vacation enjoy the personal contact of staying in someone else's home. See the world on a shoestring and enjoy yourself. Here are some of the other benefits of a Travel Club Membership:

-Low Cost: Pay only when you make an exchange

-Opportunity for travel is virtually limitless

-Security of dealing with only VacationExchange Members

-Information about the properties from other members

-If you own a vacation property you can now travel lodging free by exchanging a stay at your vacation property for a stay at another vacation home.

Greece's Folli Opens First Store in Russia

Greek jewellery retailer Folli Follie had opened its first store in Russia and planned to open more soon, as part of its strategy to further expand abroad.

Folli said it opened the store in the heart of Moscow with Bosco di Ciliegi, one of Russia's leading distributors of world luxury brands.

"Due to Russia's strategic geographical position and excellent growth conditions of the local market, Folli's entry is a milestone," Folli Vice President George Koutsolioutsos said in a statement.

Folli sells jewellery, watches and accessories through more than 340 stores in 25 countries in Asia and Europe. The bulk of its turnover comes from Asia.

The firm trades at about 13 times its estimated 2007 earnings compared with a multiple of about 21 for the European luxury goods sector, according to Reuters Estimates.

Analysts attribute the discount to lower brand visibility than its European peers.

Quinn group splashes out €106m for Russian mall

The property arm of Ireland's richest man, Sean Quinn, has splashed out an estimated $150m (€106m ) to buy its first shopping centre in Russia.

Quinn Property Management has acquired a shopping mall and entertainment complex in Ufa, a city of one million people situated in the south-west Urals some 730 miles east of Moscow. The new 120,000 square metre Avrora Centre is scheduled to open later this year and features a cinema, bowling alley, swimming pool and climbing wall, as well as retail outlets.

A Quinn spokesman said: "This is a combined shopping and leisure centre project that has just started construction. It will take two years to build the project. The group is also in the process of developing a logistics park in the city and this project complements operations there.

All the major Russian and international retailers who are active in Russia have expressed interest in Ufa and in this project in particular."The group declined to disclose the cost and the seller but Moscow real estate analysts put the likely cost at about $150m (€106m) for the shopping mall on its own.

The anchor tenants in Russia's biggest shopping centre chain Mega Mall include Sweden's IKEA, French hypermarket Auchan and Finnish retailer Stockmann. Quinn will be looking to sign up similar big names.Ufa, the capital of the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan, is an industrial hub involved in petrochemical and manufacturing.

The site for the mall is in the centre of the city with an immediate catchment area of more than 300,000 people. Having secured the project earlier in the year, the group used a UK-based architectural firm to complete the design.

A Quinn team in Ufa will now manage the construction directly.The reclusive Fermanagh-born billionaire has about 40 people involved in scouring for property development opportunities in eastern Europe, Russia and India. Sean Quinn is the most prominent Irish investor in Russia having spent some €100m on a chain of DIY hypermarkets as well as €75m on a logistics park.

The property business, which has earmarked a total of $5bn (€3.5m) to spend in the region, has already acquired shopping malls in Turkey and Ukraine and a string of office blocks, retail stores, logistics centres and hotels in the region.

It has completed office projects in Moscow and Kiev and is also constructing large-scale logistics projects in Moscow, Rostov-on-Don and Kazan. The Caspiy Centre, a six-story business block near Moscow's main airport, is due to open in the middle of next year.Up and running assets in Moscow are currently selling for a 9-11pc yield while the regional cities are achieving an even higher price.