ZHUKOVSKY, August 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's flagship air carrier Aeroflot is to become the official airline for the 2014 Winter Olympics in the resort city of Sochi, RIA Novosti said on Wednesday.

The agreement was signed by Vitaly Savelyev, Aeroflot's director general and Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko at the MAKS-2009 Air Show, currently underway in Zhukovsky, southeast of Moscow.

Savelyev described the partnership with Sochi 2014, worth up to $100 million, as an opportunity to participate in a unique sporting and cultural event.

"Making our own contribution to this nationwide, socially important sports project will allow our company not only to raise its profile in the aviation market but also to enhance the value of the Aeroflot brand", Savelyev said.

As part of the deal Aeroflot will receive exclusive rights to display the logos for the XXII Olympic and XI Paralympic Winter Games, as well as those of the National Olympic and Paralympic Committees.

Aeroflot, which beat off competition from other Russian airlines, is also committed to increasing the number of domestic flights to Sochi and launching new international routes between Sochi and destinations in Europe.

Russia's other general partners already signed up for Sochi are Megafon, Rostelecom, Rosneft and Sberbank. Among the worldwide Olympic partners are Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Samsung and Atos Origin.