Research In Motion (RIM) on Thursday launched BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone in Russia. The device will be available for business customers through RIM authorised carrier partners Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) and Vimpelcom.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone and the first to offer the perfect union of a high performance keyboard and touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold design.

It supports high speed networks around the world as well as Wi-Fi® connectivity. With its industry leading keyboard, responsive high resolution touch screen and high speed browser capabilities, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 continues the tradition of delivering the world’s best mobile communications experience with a highly refined and integrated suite of phone, email, messaging, social and business apps to keep customers connected and productive throughout the day.

The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is also the first BlackBerry smartphone to include built in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), a new technology that is enabling many new and exciting capabilities, including the ability to make mobile payments, pair accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone.

“We’re excited to launch the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone in Russia together with our  partners MTS and Vimpelcom,” said Paul Lucier, Managing Director for Russia at Research In Motion. “The Bold 9900 features the new BlackBerry 7 operating system and provides users with an outstanding communications, web browsing and multimedia experience. IT managers will also benefit from the renowned enterprise grade features of the BlackBerry solution.”