PRESS DIGEST - Russia - July 26

MOSCOW, July 26 (Reuters) - The following are some of the leading stories in Russia's newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

- The government is considering ways to raise budget revenues through privatising state firms, including oil major Rosneft, No. 1 lender Sberbank, pipeline monopoly Transneft and Russian Railways.

- The number of apartments bought and sold grew by 49 percent in the first six months of the year in Russia.

- Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich will bid for the right to invest in the reconstruction of the historical centre of Saint Petersburg, the daily reports, adding that the tender will be announced in August.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

- Russia's finance ministry is expecting to attract up to 900 billion roubles ($29.67 billion) from privatising some state firms, but experts believe the estimate could be underestimated.

- The government has promised to monitor food prices in order to avoid shortages caused by the heatwave and has threatened to punish those who do not follow suit.

- One of Russia's leading property developers, PIK Group, is planning to issue shares worth $300-500 million to enable the company to pay off its debts, the daily reports, citing sources.

RBK DAILY

www.rbcdaily.ru

- The government could buy a stake in metal giant Norilsk Nickel (GMKN.MM) in order to end the shareholders' conflict over controlling Russia's most lucrative piece of property.

IZVESTIA

www.izvestia.ru

- About 20 generals and dozens of senior officers belonging to Russia's interior ministry will be sacked after the state inspection of the country's prisons.

- Russia is returning to the global market of black caviar after officials from the United Nations publicly created quarters for the producers.

VREMYA NOVOSTEI

www.vremya.ru

- Fifteen environmental activists were detained by police when they tried to stop the destruction of forests to the north of Moscow, where local authorities were planning to begin work on a motorway linking the capital and Saint Petersburg.

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

www.ng.ru

- Rebels in Russia's volatile North Caucasus region are foiling authorities' plans to turn the region into a ski resort by attacking military and economic targets, the daily says.