It’s a happy new year indeed for Mark Zuckerberg and everyone with financial ties to Facebook.  Goldman Sachs and Digital Sky Technologies have invested $500 million in the company, according to a new report, and in doing so, valued it at $50 billion.

A couple points of reference: it was only 38 months ago that Microsoft drew laughter by paying $240 million for a 1.2 percent stake in Facebook, valuing it at $15 billion.  And Yahoo and eBay just have market caps of about $21.7 billion and $36.3 billion, respectively.

Digital Sky Technologies, the Russian investment firm that’s pretty well poured money into Facebook (and also funded Groupon and Zynga), apparently won’t be providing Twitter with any cash in the near future.  A report’s indicated that Kleiner Perkins will instead be the organization leading a new round of funding.

Digital Sky Technologies, the Russian investment firm that’s poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Facebook, is preparing to go on the hunt again.  Its founding partner and CEO, Yuri Milner, talked this weekend about making additional investments, and also said a little about Facebook’s worth.

The Russian investment firm that’s contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to Facebook’s bank accounts is not even close to ending its involvement with social media.  According to Yuri Milner, who’s the CEO and founding partner of Digital Sky Technologies, his organization is interested in doling out another $1 billion.

Two helpings of Facebook shares apparently weren’t enough.  Russian investment firm Digital Sky Technologies has gone back to the well for a third time, spending perhaps $100 million to buy still more shares in the social networking company.

Tonight, it’s almost certain that bars around Facebook’s new headquarters in Stanford Research Park will be busy.  Tomorrow, the offices of Facebook’s employees may be full of new toys and gadgets.  It seems that Russian investment firm Digital Sky Technologies wants to buy $100 million of common stock from employees. 

Facebook announced today the company will accept a $200 million investment from Russian investment firm Digital Sky Technologies. A couple hundred million nets Digital Sky just under two percent equity in Facebook at a $10 billion valuation.

Other companies with similar offers in recent weeks were rejected by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, primarily because Zuckerberg did not wish to lose control of the board of directors. Zuckerberg currently holds one seat and one empty one to secure control of the company.