Reuters reported that Norilsk Nickel will cut 10% of the workforce at its central office in Moscow due to the financial crisis.

Mr Viktor Borodin spokesman of Norilsk said that the cuts will not affect production and do not apply to Norilsk employees at the company's mines and smelters in the Russian Arctic.

He added that "Norilsk Nickel has taken the decision to make 135 people from the Moscow office redundant and also to cut some of the social programs that the company could allow itself prior to the crisis."

Norilsk has previously said that it would revise its investment program for 2009, partly as a result of falling nickel prices. The company supplies about one fifth of the world's nickel.