Facebook has been valued at $6.5bn by Russian internet
investment group Digital Sky Technologies (DST).
DST, which invested
$200m in preferred stock in May, has confirmed that it will
purchase up to $100m in common stock from existing
shareholders.
The full common stock investment will buy an additional 1.54%
share in Facebook to bring DST's total stake to 3.5%.
DST has joined a select group of stakeholders in Facebook, but
it is not one of the largest, according to the
Financial Times.
Early investors, including Microsoft, are thought to hold much
larger stakes in the social networking business.
The common stock purchase was part of DST's initial investment
in May and is seen as a way to retain employees until Facebook
makes its initial public offering.
The common stock investment will "facilitate liquidity for
current and former employees' vested shares in the company",
Facebook said.
The partnership is thought to be strategic for Facebook's growth
in Russia because of DST's government connections and experience in
making money through social networking sites.