Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0104
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Svetlichny Boris
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
03/17/2006
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
GOLDEN TELECOM INC [GLDN]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
2831 29TH STREET, NW
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Sr. VP, CFO and Treasurer
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

WASHINGTON, DC 20008
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 200
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Appreciation Rights (1)   (1) 03/17/2011(2) Common Stock 50,000 $ 29.63 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Svetlichny Boris
2831 29TH STREET, NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20008
      Sr. VP, CFO and Treasurer  

Signatures

/s/ Julia Marx, Attorney-In-Fact 03/21/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Reflects the grant of Stock Appreciation Rights ("SARs") with respect to 50,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share. Seventy-five percent of the grant (37,500 shares) is subject to time-vesting, one-third (12,500 shares) of which shall become vested and nonforfeitable on the first anniversary ($31.111 Premium Base Value Per Share), one-third (12,500 shares) of which shall become vested and nonforfeitable on the second anniversary ($32.666 Premium Base Value Per Share) and one-third (12,500 shares) of which shall become vested and nonforfeitable on the third anniversary ($34.299 Premium Base Value Per Share), provided Mr. Svetlichny remains continuously employed by Golden Telecom, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries or business units until each such relevant date. Twenty-five percent of the SARs granted (12,500 shares) are subject to performance vesting upon the Company's Common Stock achieving a closing trading price of at least $50.00 per share for thirty consecutive days.
(2) If the Company's Common Stock does not achieve a closing trading price of at least $50.00 per share for thirty consecutive days within three years of the date of grant, such portion of the SARs granted subject to performance vesting shall expire by its terms and shall not be exercisable.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.