Russia's Golden Telecom 2007 net profit up 78 pct

MOSCOW, March 18 (Reuters) - Russian fixed-line telecoms operator Golden Telecom, which has been recently acquired by Vimpelcom (VIP.N), said on Tuesday its full-year 2007 net profit rose by 78 percent to $152.6 million.

The company said in a regulatory filing its 2007 revenues, to U.S. GAAP, rose 51 percent to $1.29 billion from $854.62 million in 2006. It did not provide fourth-quarter results.

Vimpelcom, Russia's second-largest mobile phone operator, last month completed a $4.3 billion takeover of Golden Telecom to create the region's first integrated fixed-to-mobile provider.

Golden Telecom's common stock ceased trading on Nasdaq at market close on Feb. 28. Vimpelcom plans to start consolidating Golden Telecom's financials from the first quarter of 2008.

Vimpelcom has Norwegian group Telenor (TEL.OL) and Altimo, the investment vehicle of Russia's Alfa Group, as strategic shareholders. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Quentin Bryar)