Segezha VP, head of Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill Batalov leaves company

MOSCOW. March 14 (Interfax) - Segezha Group's board of directors has removed Vice President Evgeny Batalov from its management board.

Batalov led Segezha's paper and packaging division and was general director of the holding's JSC Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill.

Batalov's position was terminated as of March 12, the company said.

Batalov "will continue his activities outside the Segezha Group holding," Segezha's press service told Interfax.

Alexei Sitnikov, who heads Segezha Packaging (a division combining Segezha's packaging production plants), has been appointed general director of Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill.

Segezha Group is a vertically integrated international forestry holding, combining the forestry and wood processing assets of AFK Sistema . A total of 24.25% of the company's shares are in free float, AFK Sistema owns 62.2%, and the combined share of members of the board of directors and management is 4%.

Segezha Pulp and Paper Mill is located in Karelia, with a production capacity of 384,000 tonnes of kraft paper. The plant is the only producer of unbleached high-porosity, high-strength sack paper in Russia.