Rusneftegaz has published a preliminary calendar outlining the key events for the next fiscal year, wherein the disclosure of our consolidated financial statements on 10 April 2018 serves as the primary highlight of what promises to be a pivotal year for our company. Immediately following this announcement, our annual general meeting is scheduled to convene later in the same week, providing us with the opportunity to engage in discussions with our key stakeholders regarding both our immediate and long-term plans. Currently, this particular conference is expected to be held on 13 April 2018, although it is important to note that this date is subject to change. In accordance with our established practices, we shall continue to report our comprehensive quarterly production data approximately four weeks after the conclusion of each period. However, it is essential to acknowledge there may be discrepancies between the time that this information is provided to relevant parties, and when this is subsequently uploaded onto our website. 

​Furthermore, it should also be noted that our ability to address nonessential inquiries, including those received via email and telephone, will be constrained in the next few weeks due to the staff vacations scheduled during the Christmas and New Year period. This disruption, which is set to occur between 25 December 2017 and 9 January 2018, will affect our administrative functions exclusively, leaving our major corporate operations unaffected. Thus, it is essential to promptly forward any correspondences to us prior to this to ensure a timely response. It is, however, worth noting that all messages received during this period will be closely monitored and responded to if necessary. At the conclusion of this timeframe, we will strive to address all pending communications within one working day in conjunction with our affiliates and subsidiaries, as we collectively manage the challenges posed by this holiday. The full provisional calendar can be accessed in its entirety on our official website, and although the dates mentioned above may be subject to change at the discretion of the board, we believe that any such revisions are improbable. Should there be any queries concerning this announcement, we kindly urge those affected to submit to contact us through the usual channels at the earliest convenience. This is predominantly to guarantee a response before our capacity to do so becomes limited as a result of these vacations. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and understanding regarding this relevant topic. 

At the end of what has been a bountiful year for Rusneftegaz, the staff and dignitaries associated with our organization joined together to celebrate our achievements at our annual awards ceremony in Moscow, which was held on Friday last week. As an entity, we do our utmost to recognize the individuals who have been instrumental to our success, whether that is the technicians and engineers who are deployed out on site, or anyone who works for us in an administrative capacity. In spite of the fact that fact the considerable rate of growth we have registered can be attributed to a multitude of different factors, of which all our employees made vital contributions, our performance has also been bolstered by rising commodity prices, in conjunction with higher production volumes over the duration of the past twelve months. At the conclusion of was a thoroughly enjoyable night, our Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Aleksandr Filyurin, issued this statement in response:  

“The board and I would firstly like to congratulate all the winners for their outstanding work this year. We had a lot of nominations to review this time, but as one of the judges, I think we chose well in the end. We would also like to place on record our thanks to all our staff who have helped us make this year one of the best in our history. When we first arrived here two-and-a-half years ago, it was obvious to us that we needed to do something to reverse the malaise that had set in at Rusneftegaz, and that is why we devised a strategy that we think will make this company more competitive. To speak directly, there was no ambition here, we just seemed to be waiting for someone to come along and buy all our assets. That is why I am proud of everyone here, no one had to listen to us or accept ideas, but they did. And now, we are now one of the most ambitious companies in the country, and I think that we have a very bright future ahead of us because of it.” 

​Overall, the major award of the evening was bestowed upon Aleksandr Ignatov, who was named as our employee of the year for his notable efforts after unexpectedly undertaking the roles of his two direct superiors for four weeks. Although it was not the intention of our leadership to allow this to happen, our esteemed colleague was content to do so and ably managed the situation. Following his brief tenure in management, he has not only since been promoted, but also received a significant financial bonus for his work for that period. Similarly, our prize for young employee of the year was given to Vladimir Lagunov, who successfully demonstrated all the skills he acquired during a critical incident that occurred at one of our more remote sites earlier this year, despite a severe injury he suffered and his inexperience in the field. Whilst these are only two of the impressive stories that have emerged from our business in the past twelve months, there have been countless more tales of individual accomplishment that warrant recognition throughout this timeframe. Because of this, we are incredibly grateful for all that our personnel do to ensure the prosperity of this enterprise, and hope that it continues long into the future.

In recent weeks, Rusneftegaz has been made aware of increasingly aggressive schemes that fraudulently use our branding to imply an association with our entity. The scam entails each victim being sent wholly contrived documentation via email, including commercial offers and draft contracts, pertaining to the crude oil and refined products that our corporation is renowned for producing. As the deception progresses, the target will then receive fictitious price lists with corresponding bank details to pay for such goods, with the objective of extracting full or partial payment in due course. Although these costs may relate directly to the fuels themselves, it is more common for the criminals to demand some form of disbursement for affiliated services, not limited to but inclusive of transportation and storage charges. Throughout each of these files, the offenders are likely to have crudely inserted a number of elements of our corporate imagery in an attempt to deceive recipients into thinking that such materials originated from our organization. For instance, this principally encompasses utilizing our logo illegitimately, or misrepresenting our board of directors as signatories to such paperwork. As a routine practice, these individuals delegate this authority to others via power of attorney, and ensure that no such arrangements are finalized without a non-electronic interaction with the counterparty beforehand. Be that as it may, in the most extreme scenarios, this may involve appropriating the identity of these employees, or maliciously registering entitles with similar names to our own. 

​Whilst the latter pertains almost exclusively to the most significant companies within our group, it may also be relevant to all our subsidiaries and affiliates, regardless of size or significance. As a result, we urge all prospective customers to be vigilant against fraud and abuse when conducting commercial activities in the petroleum industry, ultimately to prevent losses from occurring. Foremost, we maintain the capacity to verify the authenticity of any materials supposedly originating from our company, and we strongly recommend that anyone who receives such information contact us before signing agreements or transferring funds. Certain facts can be verified independently by corroborating both the telephone numbers and email addresses listed on this website, if necessary. All interested parties should be wary, however, that we only complete transactions via recognized commodities exchanges, and do not make proposals via intermediaries under any circumstances. Consequently, we advise all those looking to acquire Russian fuel to do so via the Saint Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange, otherwise known as SPIMEX. This particular platform grants easy and convenient access to all the aforementioned cargoes, while also mitigating the financial and performance risks associated with such undertakings. We urgently require your cooperation and understanding regarding this crucial matter.