Russia Awards Finnish Railways Director Medal Struck from Rail

Russian Railways Minister Gennady Fadeev yesterday awarded Henri Kuitunen, the general director of VR Group, the Finnish national railway company, a celebratory '100 Years of the Trans-Siberian' medal. The commemorative '100 Years of the Trans-Siberian' medal was issued in 2001. The medal is struck from steel used to manufacture the rails on the Russian railway network. It is awarded to Russian railway employees for outstanding service to the industry.

According to the Railways Ministry, during the award ceremony Fadeev said: 'the fact that 30% of freight transported along the Trans-Siberian today is 'made in Finland' is in a large part due to Mr Kuitunen.' The head of VR yesterday held discussions with Vadim Morozov, the first deputy railways minister, on the prospects for developing passenger and freight transport between the two countries, and also on problems regarding the use of rolling stock.