Russian mobile operator VimpelCom announced on Thursday a US GAAP profit of $283 million for the fourth quarter of 2009 compared with a net loss of $816 million the previous year.

The company's revenues in the reporting period dropped 9.6% year-on-year to $2.31 billion while OIBDA (operating income before depreciation and amortization) was down 3.2% to $1.09 billion, the company said in a statement.

VimpelCom, which operates under the Beeline brand, is the second largest cell-phone operator in Russia, and also provides services in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Armenia. In 2008, VimpelCom acquired licenses in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The operator covers a territory with a population of 340 million.

MOSCOW, March 18 (RIA Novosti)