The deal was signed in Yekarinburg by Russia's Prime Minister Mr Dmitry Medvedev, Bombardier president Mr André Navarri, and Mr Oleg Sienko, CEO of UVZ.

Bombardier says vehicles developed under the partnership will be designed to meet the needs of operators such as Moscow Metro, which is set to invest heavily in new trains over the next decade as it renews its fleet and expands its network.

UVZ is based in Nizhny Tagil in Sverdlosk Oblast and is primarily active in the wagon market and assembled 13,918 wagons in the first half of this year.