MOSCOW, January 20 (RIA Novosti) - RIA Novosti was the most frequently mentioned brand on Runet websites in 2008, Webscan Technologies said on its website on Tuesday, citing its own research.

Runet is short for Russian Internet, and is the name commonly used to refer to the Russian language sector of the World Wide Web.

RIA Novosti was mentioned on 8.39% of Runet websites, while non-governmental online news service Regnum came second with 7.25%. Another Russian state-run news agency, Itar-Tass, was third with 3.75%.

The non-governmental agency Interfax, which took second place in 2007, was fourth with 3.21%.

Russian media group RBK (2.5%), energy giant Gazprom (1.84%), business information news service, Prime Tass (1.83%), Windows (1.78%), Microsoft (1.72%) and one of Russia's largest banks, VTB, (1.49%) also made it into the top 10.

Webscan Technologies has monitored over 1,200 well-known Russian websites since 2000, and compiles an annual charter of the most mentioned brands in Runet.