Beer giants fiercely battle over Russian brewer

Scottish & Newcastle is considering joining with another brewer to buy Carlsberg's stake in Russia's Balti? Beverages Holding , which produces the famous Baltika range of beers.

Baltiс Beverages Holding  is a leading player on the beer market in Russia and the CIS, with 19 breweries operating in the region.

Earlier this month, Carlsberg and Heineken said they planned a joint bid for Scottish & Newcastle, and Scottish & Newcastle's plans to pick up the Baltiс Beverages Holding stake could be a way to keep its independence.

Baltika's Russian brewer is jointly-owned by Carlsberg and Scottish & Newcastle, and is seen as a key area of growth for both companies.