RPT-UPDATE 1-Deripaska nets $4.5 bln from Russia rescue package

* UC RUSAL agrees $4.5 bln loan with Russian bank VEB

* Loan will repay syndicated loan to foreign lenders

* Deal will allow UC RUSAL to retain Norilsk Nickel stake

* Other Russian companies seeking similar assistance

(Repeats Wednesday story to reach more customers)

By Christopher Mangham and Robin Paxton

LONDON/MOSCOW, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Russia's richest man, Oleg Deripaska, became the first beneficiary of a Kremlin-backed rescue package on Wednesday when his flagship company secured a $4.5 billion loan needed to keep its stake in Norilsk Nickel.

United Company RUSAL agreed the loan with state-owned Vnesheconombank (VEB), entrusted with $50 billion by the Kremlin to bail out indebted Russian firms, in a deal that will repay a syndicated loan from foreign lenders, banking sources said. The loan is a welcome boost for Deripaska, who was forced to relinquish stakes in foreign companies as the global financial crisis slashed his net worth, and signals the Kremlin's intent to retain strategic assets in the hands of trusted businessmen.

"Russia will not want this block (in Norilsk Nickel) being diluted out into other hands," Rob Edwards, mining analyst at investment bank Renaissance Capital, said.