Western Union Announces Agreement with Major Bank in Russia

The Western Union Company WU today announced an agreement to offer international money-transfer services at Sberbank branches across Russia. Sberbank, the oldest and biggest bank in Russia, Central and Eastern Europe, is expected to become the largest Western Union partner bank in the region. According to the agreement, Western Union® services initially will be available at more than 8,000 Sberbank branches in 2011. The two companies plan to expand the network further when Western Union international money transfers become available for consumers at all Sberbank branches that are integrated into the bank's BLITZ money-transfer system (more than 9,000 locations in 2,800 cities and residential areas across Russia).