Metro International S.A. ("Metro International"), the international
newspaper group, announces that an edition of Metro was successfully
launched yesterday in Moscow, Europe's most populous city with a
population of over 15 million. Some 500,000 copies of the new Metro
edition will be distributed daily through the Moscow subway.

On 18th December 2008, Metro International announced that it has
entered into a Franchise Agreement with Gazeta Metro and formed a
joint venture with the ESN Group. Metro International, through this
new joint venture with the ESN Group, has an effective equity
interest of 0.81% in Gazeta Metro.

Zenith Optimedia estimates that Russia's gross newspaper advertising
market grew 19.1 % year-on-year in 2007 to US$ 11 billion.

Per Mikael Jensen, Metro International's President and CEO commented:
"Moscow is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the world
and we are confident that the new Metro format will appeal to its
young and active inhabitants. To expand in growth markets such as
Russia, Latin America and Asia is a part of our Group strategy.
Gazeta Metro had built up a large readership and this healthy
starting point, combined with the implementation of Metro
International's global newspaper format and its know-how, means
therefore that the prospects for the Metro Moscow joint venture are
exciting."

Robert Patterson, Executive Vice President said: "Since the start of
our joint venture in St. Petersburg in 2005, the readership of Metro
St Petersburg has more than doubled and today we are by far the most
read newspaper in the city. This readership growth has enabled Metro
St Petersburg to make significant advertising market share gains.
Metro Moscow and Metro St. Petersburg will both benefit from sales
and cost synergies. The Metro Moscow newspaper in its new format and
following yesterday's re-branding, is now well placed to increase its
advertising market share."


For further information please contact:

Per Mikael Jensen, CEO and President     tel: +44 (0)20 7016 1300
Robert Patterson, EVP                    tel: +44 (0)20 7016 1300


                                 ***

ABOUT METRO INTERNATIONAL AND METRO
Metro is the largest international newspaper in the world.  Metro is
published in over 100 major cities in 19 countries across Europe,
North & South America and Asia. Metro has a unique global reach -
attracting a young, active, well-educated Metropolitan audience of 17
million daily readers.

Metro International S.A. shares are listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm
through Swedish Depository Receipts of series A and series B under
the symbols MTROA and MTROB


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