MOSCOW, May 28 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's second largest mobile phone operator VimpelCom announced on Thursday a net loss of 8.5 billion rubles ($271.5 million) in January-March against a profit of 14.59 billion rubles ($466 million) a year ago.

The net loss resulted from foreign exchange losses of 23.6 billion rubles ($754 million), VimpelCom said.

At the same time, operating revenues climbed 30.7% to 66.8 billion rubles ($2.1 billion) while OIBDA (operating income before depreciation and amortization) increased 5% on the fourth quarter to 32.2 billion rubles ($1.03 billion), with the OIBDA margin improving from 44% in October-December 2008 to 48.1% in January-March 2009, VimpelCom said.

VimpelCom, which operates under the Beeline brand, provides services in Russia and also in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Armenia. In 2008, VimpelCom acquired licenses in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The mobile operator covers a territory with a population of 340 million. Its franchise stood at 62.7 million as of March 31, 2009.