Russia plans ban on all cigarette adverts

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia, one of the world's top markets for tobacco sales, plans to ban all cigarette advertising within five years, RIA news agency reported on Thursday.

Russia's cabinet approved a draft law to join the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, RIA reported. The full ban will be brought in within five years.

Russia's cigarette market is dominated by global tobacco companies such as Altria Group's Philip Morris division, British American Tobacco Plc, Japan Tobacco Inc. and Imperial Tobacco.

Russia is Europe's biggest cigarette market and is a significant generator of profits for tobacco companies who have struggled to break into China, the world's biggest market.

Russia trails China and the United States in annual sales but is larger than Japan, the fourth-largest world market.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, editing by Douglas Busvine/Will Waterman)