KIEV, March 22 – A deal to merge Telenor and Alfa-Group shares in Russia's OJSC VimpelCom and Ukraine's CJSC Kyivstar GSM will lead to technological progress on the Ukrainian telecommunications market and give consumers more access to high-quality services, according to acting head of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine Oleksandr Melnychenko.

The committee earlier issued a permit for the deal, adding that it would not lead to the creation of a monopoly or restrict competition on the Ukrainian telecommunications market.