BlackBerry goes to Russia

BlackBerry wireless services will be available to subscribers of Mobile Telesystems, a Russian mobile carrier, Research In Motion announced Wednesday. Subscribers will be able to access the Internet and send e-mails and text messages, the company said.

RIM said that nearly 2.5 million subscribers are using BlackBerry services globally. Mobile Telesystems and its affiliates have more than 38.7 million subscribers in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. RIM launched service in India last year. The date for the Russian launch was not announced.