S7 Airlines (S7, Novosibirsk) could have a new minority stake shareholder following an announcement recently that the Russian Government is to hive off a 25.5% shareholding in Russia's third largest carrier. Talks are said to have already begun with a number of interested parties, including unnamed fellow Oneworld members, "a number of Middle Eastern airlines" as well as undisclosed LCCs aiming to enter the lucrative Russian market. In theory, a Russian financial institution joint-ventured with a Western partner, could increase S7 Airlines’ capitalization, and therefore profitability, provided the airline's majority shareholders - husband-and-wife team Vladislav and Natalya Filev - are also involved.