MECHEL HOSTS THE CHELYABINSK REGION GOVERNOR, PYOTR SUMIN, AT ITS CHELYABINSK
METALLURGICAL PLANT SUBSIDIARY

Chelyabinsk, Russia – January 21, 2009 – Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the
leading Russian mining and metals companies, announces that the Chelyabinsk
Region Governor, Pyotr Sumin, visited Mechel’s Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant
OAO (CMP) subsidiary today.
The visit by Governor Sumin to the CMP was his first trip in a program to assess
anti-recessionary measures taken by the cities and industrial enterprises in the
region. During the visit the anti-recessionary program being implemented at CMP
was discussed.
CMP’s construction sites and investment facilities were toured during the visit,
including the continuous casting machine (concaster) No. 5 at the facility’s
Oxygen-Converter Shop, which is phase one of the rail and structural steel mill
construction project, and reconstruction sites at Arc-Furnace Melting Shop
(AFMS) No. 6. In line with phase two of CMP’s long-term production development
program, upgrading the slab concaster and constructing the ladle-furnace and
vacuum vessel is being implemented at the AFMS. The facilities that are being
upgraded and constructed will ensure the shop’s high productivity and economic
efficiency of the production process in the future and improve its product
quality.
The Governor did not only visited Concaster No. 5 and AFMS construction projects
, but also held the working meeting on matters related to of the plant’s
anti-recessionary measures which was participated by the Chelyabinsk Region
Deputy Governor, Yury Klepov, Minister of Industry and Natural Resources of the
Chelyabinsk Region, Evgeny Teftelev, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly,
Vladimir Myakush, Head of the Chelyabinsk City District, Mikhail Yurevich,
Chairman of the Chelyabinsk City Duma, Sergey Komyakov, and the Head of the
Metallurgical District, Sergey Antipov. Mechel OAO was represented at the
meeting by Mechel Management OOO Chief Executive Officer, Andrey Deineko, Senior
Vice President for Government Relations, Victor Trigubko, Vice President for
Legal Affairs, Evgeny Mikhel, and the management of CMP.
CMP’s Managing Director, Sergey Malyshev, spoke at the meeting on the plant and
the anti-recessionary measures being implemented, which include the development
of a flexible production program, reduction of costs across all lines of the
plant’s operations, and maintaining the current number of highly qualified
personnel of CMP. The Managing Director also noted that the plant will maintain
its social programs and continues the work to fulfill social guarantees under
the collective labor agreement. Regarding the conditions of the financial and
economic recession, the plant maintains sufficient production volumes enabling
it to efficiently function and effect tax payments to the budgets of all levels.
Mr. Sumin positively reviewed the work of the management of Mechel OAO, Mechel
Management OOO, and CMP, having noted that maintaining social guarantees for the
labor collective is extremely important.
The plant’s management confirmed the importance of continuing such high priority
projects for the entire group as the universal rail and structural steel mill
will produce rails up to 100 meters in length and high speed main lines all over
Russia. Commissioning of this facility will provide newly created jobs with
personal and training, which is estimated to be from 700 to 800 employees. The
realization of this project will also ensure CMP's high tax payments to the
budgets of the Chelyabinsk Region and the City of Chelyabinsk.
Governor Sumin confirmed the significance of implementing this project not only
for the Region’s economy but also for the whole country, as he stated, “This is
a unique mill. Everyone needs it, including Russia, as it will make it possible
to manufacture import-substituting advanced products.” The Governor thanked the
company for its “engagement in the new investment projects during this difficult
time.”

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Mechel OAO
Ilya Zhitomirsky
Phone: + 7 495 221 88 88
ilya.zhitomirsky@mechel.com
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Mechel is one of the leading Russian companies. Its business includes four
segments: mining, steel, ferroalloy and power. Mechel unites producers of coal,
iron ore concentrate, steel, rolled products, ferroalloys, hardware, heat and
electric power. Mechel products are marketed domestically and internationally.
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Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other
forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial
performance of Mechel, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S.
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We wish to caution you that
these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may
differ materially. We do not intend to update these statements. We refer you to
the documents Mechel files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, including our Form 20-F. These documents contain and
identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned
“Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in our
Form 20-F, that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those
contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among
others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and
synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the
ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of
developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment,
volatility in stock markets or in the price of our shares or ADRs, financial
risk management and the impact of general business and global economic
conditions.