VTB Capital, the Investment Business of Russian banking group VTB, has announced a partnership with the Bulgarian Levski Sofia Football Club on the day of entering the Bulgarian marketing.

"In line with VTB Capital's international strategy and business development plan to enhance its operations in the Balkans, VTB Capital and PFC Levski JSC announce that both parties have signed a co-operation agreement," VTB Capital said in a statement Thursday.

"VTB Capital is a partner of choice to further develop economic connections between Russia and the Balkans. It also looks to build relations by ensuring top-level investment banking services and providing potential investors with a gateway into the Russian and global markets. VTB Capital is leading international investment banking with top positions in key league tables," the company added.

VTB Capital stressed that it is expanding rapidly, and that it already operates in strategic regions including Moscow, London, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Paris, Vienna and New York with headquarters in Moscow, with the Balkans also being a strategic region where VTB Capital intends to establish a long-term presence.

"We are happy to become a partner of Levski, one of the most popular and successful professional football clubs in Bulgaria. We hope that our partnership will support Levski and strengthen the club as well as contributing to the development of the national sport in Bulgaria," commented Atanas Bostandjiev, CEO, UK and International for VTB Capital plc.

"We aim to further develop historical ties through these sporting endeavours, as well as through financial investment for the development of our business in the region, as we believe these connections are of huge importance for both countries," he added.

"We are convinced that such agreement put a very successful beginning of a mutual cooperation. Bulgaria and Russia have been deeply related for centuries. PFC Levski is one of the biggest clubs and the most popular football club in Bulgaria. We believe that our supporters and all the society shall estimate the merits of the aid VTB Capital provided for the club," said Ivo Tonev, Executive Director at PFC Levski JSC.

VTB Capital, the Investment Business of VTB Group, is one of the three strategic business arms of VTB Group, along with the corporate and retail businesses. Since its foundation in 2008, VTB Capital has taken part in more than 235 ECM and DCM deals, which were instrumental in attracting more than USD 96,3bn worth of investments to Russia and CIS.

VTB Capital offers a full range of investment banking products and services to Russian and international clients, focusing on arranging operations in the debt, equity, global commodities markets, developing investment and asset management, advising clients on M&A and ECM deals in Russia and abroad. VTB Capital operates in Moscow, London, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Vienna, with headquarters in Moscow.

VTB Capital holds top positions in the debt and equity capital markets in Russia and CIS according to the league tables for 2011 by Dealogic and Bloomberg.