VimpelCom board of directors recommends not paying out dividends for 2022

MOSCOW. May 29 (Interfax) - The board of directors of PJSC VimpelCom has recommended not paying out dividends on either ordinary shares or preferred shares for 2022, the company said in a statement.

VimpelCom also did not pay out dividends for 2021. VimpelCom paid dividends only on preferred shares totaling 6,400 rubles at 0.1 kopeck per security for 2020. Dividends totaled 4.36 billion rubles at 85.08 rubles per ordinary share and 0.075 kopecks per preferred share for 9M 2021.

VimpelCom's annual general shareholders meeting is scheduled for June 30, and those wishing to participate in the meeting must be registered by June 5, 2023, inclusive.

The agenda includes matters on approving the annual report and the annual financial statements of PJSC VimpelCom for 2022; on distributing profits and losses and on paying (declaring) dividends based on the results of 2022; on electing the board of directors; on appointing an auditor; and on entering PJSC VimpelCom into a self-regulatory organization.

According to the operator's statement, the company has not received any proposals regarding candidates for the board of directors.

VimpelCom currently belongs to the Netherlands' VEON telecommunications holding.

VimpelCom is due to change ownership in the near future. VEON last November entered into an agreement to sell the Russian asset to local managers as headed by the company's CEO, Alexander Torbakhov. The deal to sell VimpelCom is scheduled to close by June 1.

VEON approved the VimpelCom board of directors in May 2022 in the following composition: Viktor Biryukov, VEON General Counsel and former VimpelCom executive vice president; Murat Kirkgoz, former deputy CFO of the parent holding; VEON CEO Kaan Terzioglu; Boris Kim, former Qiwi CEO; and Dmitry Shvets, VEON portfolio management head.