Moscow, Russia – April 15, 2009 – Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, announces further management structure optimization and changes in Management of Mechel OAO.

Yevgeny Mikhel (35) is appointed Mechel OAO First Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Previously, Mr. Mikhel was Vice- President—Legal Matters Mechel OAO.

Mr. Mikhel has been serving Vice President for Legal Matters and Director of the of Judicial Protection and Legal Regulation Administration from September 2007 until April 2009. From February 2006 until September 2007 he held the positions of Chief Counsel and Director of Judicial Protection Legal Regulation Department Mechel OAO. From June 2003 until February 2006 he was Director of Judicial Protection Legal Regulation Department Mechel Steel Group OAO (since July 2005 – Mechel OAO). Before that he was Deputy CEO for Legal Matters of Mechel Trading House OOO until June 2003. From May 2000 to July 2002 he was a legal adviser in the Bureau of Civil Law Disputes and Support of International Economic Activity, as well as Head of the Department of Litigation and Enforcement of Court Orders of Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant. From November 1998 to May 2000, Mr. Mikhel worked in the Chelyabinsk branch of Sberbank as the senior legal adviser. From September through November 1998, he worked as legal adviser in the Traktorzavodskoye Municipal Enterprise. He also held the position of legal adviser in Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant OAO from May 1994 until March 1998. Mr. Mikhel graduated from the Urals State Law Academy.

Stanislav Ploschenko (33) is appointed Mechel OAO Senior Vice-President Finance. Previously, Mr. Ploschenko held the position of Mechel OAO Vice-President Finance.

Prior to being appointed Mechel’s Vice-President Finance in January 2008, Mr. Ploschenko was working as Acting Chief Financial Officer from June 2007. He was Mechel’s Deputy CFO and Deputy Treasurer for Corporate Lending from June 2006 to June 2007. From 2001 to 2006 he held a number of senior positions at Commerzbank AG and Commerzbank ZAO where his most recent position was the Head of Metal and Mining Industries Group, Corporate Clients Department, Commerzbank (Eurasija) ZAO. Previously, he worked as an auditor for Bank's Audit Service LLC from 1995 to 1996. Mr. Ploschenko holds an MSc in International Securities Investment & Banking from the ISMA Centre at the University of Reading, a BA in International Finance & Trade from the University of Portsmouth (UK), and a Specialist Diploma in International Economics from The Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation.

Pyotr Syrkin (66) is appointed Vice-president for capital construction of Mechel OAO. Previously he held the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer for capital construction of Mechel Management Company OOO.

Mr. Syrkin has been working as Deputy Chief Executive Officer for capital construction and Director of Administration for capital construction Mechel Management Company OOO. Prior to that he worked for Souzspetsstroy Company first as the President and as the Chairman of Board of Directors later on. From 1989 until 2004 he held various positions including Chief Executive Officer of Rostovshachtstroy Company, the Department Chairman for mining construction at Novotcherkassk Polytechnic University. He also was Chief Executive Officer of Donugol ZAO.

He graduated from Kuzbass Polytechnic Institute and has a degree in mining engineering and construction of underground mines, Doctor of Science.

Oleg Korzhov (38) is appointed Vice-president for business-planning and analyses of Mechel OAO. Previously he had the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer for economy and finance of Mechel Management Company OOO.

Mr. Korzhov has been working as Deputy Chief Executive Officer for economy and finance Mechel Management Company OOO since July 2008. Prior to that he was working as Director of the Economy and Planning Department at Mechel Management Company OOO for two years. From 2005 to 2006 Mr. Korzhov held the position of Director for the Economy and Planning Office Mechel OAO. He was Director for economy and finance at Nizhnetagilsky Metallurgical Plant (NTMP) of Evrazholding Company OOO from 2003 until 2005. In the period between 1998 and 2003 he was Deputy Head of Economy Department at Nizhnetagilsky Metallurgical Plant OAO. Later he took the position of the Head of Economy Department at NTMP OAO. From 1997 to 1998 he was Executive Officer of Nikoremstroy OAO. Since 1995 until 1997 he was Deputy Chief Executive Officer for economy and finance Nikoremstroy OAO (NTMP OAO’s subsidiary). In the period from 1993 to 1995 he worked at various positions at Nizhnetagilsky Metallurgical Plant named after V.I. Lenin. His latest position was the Head in the Bureau of Economy and Finance.

He graduated from Urals Polytechnic Institute named after S.M. Korzhov with the degree in economy and management in metallurgy. He had his post-graduate education in the Academy of National Economy under the Government of the Russian Federation with the degree in general management. PhD in Economy.

Elena Selivanova (46) is appointed Vice-president for human resource and social politics of OAO Mechel. Prior to that she was Director of Human Resources Department of Mechel OAO.

Elena V. Selivanova has been Director for Human Resources of Mechel OAO since January 2007. From 2004 to 2006, Ms. Selivanova held the position of Executive Director for Human Resources of Volgotanker Company. She also was a member of Board of Directors at the company. From 2002 to 2004, Ms. Selivanova was Director of the Department for Organizational Development and Personnel Management of Firma Omega-97 OOO. From 1999 to 2002, Ms. Selivanova was Head of the Personnel Service at Vympel-Communications OAO. From 1998 to 1999 she was Personnel Manager at Bakster Export Corp. Representative Office.

Ms. Selivanova graduated from the Moscow State Cultural Institute. She had her post-graduate degree in the Higher Psychology College. Ms. Selivanova is a member of Expert Council of Personnel Specialists Association.

Irina Ipeyeva (45) is appointed Director for Legal Matters Department of Mechel OAO. Previously she had positions of the Chief Counsel, Deputy Director of the Legal Department and Director of Corporate Governance and Property Office.

Irina Ipeyeva has been Mechel OAO General Counsel, Deputy Director of the Legal Department and Director of the Department of Corporate Governance and Property since September 2007. From 2003 to 2007, Ms. Ipeyeva held the position of General Counsel and Director of the Corporate Governance and Property Office of Mechel Steel Group OAO (since July 2005 – Mechel OAO). From February to July 2006, she was Director of the Corporate Governance and Property Office of Mechel Management Company OOO. From March to June 2003, Ms. Ipeyeva held the position of Deputy General Director for Property Matters of Uglemet Trading OOO, and from January 2001 to March 2003 she acted as Head of the Department for Regulation of Corporate Relations and Property of Southern Kuzbass Coal Company OAO. From 1988 to 2001, Ms. Ipeyeva worked at various positions at the Kuzbassugleobogashcheniye Industrial Amalgamation and the Tomusinskaya Concentration Plant. Her last position there was Head of the legal department.

Ms. Ipeyeva graduated in 1988 from the Kuibyshev State University with a degree in law.

Mechel OAO’s Chief Executive Officer Igor Zyuzin commented on the new appointments: “We continue the process of reorganization and optimization of management structure of the Company, its subsidiaries and sub-holdings. Establishment of a stronger professional management team will allow us to retain and strengthen our market positions during the period of world economic crisis as well as to secure efficient interaction of the company’s divisions and make timely and innovative strategic decisions”.