PRESS DIGEST - Russia - March 20

MOSCOW, March 20 (Reuters) The following are some of the leading stories in Russia's newspapers on Tuesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- Metalloinvest, the Russia's iron ore and steel company owned by billionaire Alisher Usmanov, is likely to hold an IPO before making a decision on a proposal to merge with miner Norilsk Nickel (GMKN.MM).

- Owners of Moscow supermarket chain Azbuka Vkusa intend to open about 40 economy class stores in Moscow suburbs with an anticipated $350 million annual turnover.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- The chairperson of Federal Arbitration Court of Moscow region Lyudmila Maykova, who headed the court from 1995, may be disqualified for taking ownership of an apartment, writes the daily.

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

www.ng.ru

- Russia has postponed a decision on the construction of channel to connect the Caspian Sea and the Sea of Azov until the end of Winter Olympic games in 2014, reports the daily citing Transport Minister Igor Levitin as saying. The channel could widen access for Kazakhstan's goods to the world market.

VREMYA NOVOSTEI

www.vremya.ru

- One of Dmitry Medvedev's first major steps as president, was to set up and head a council to fight corruption, which he singled out as one of the country's worst problems.