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Uralkali CEO arrested in Minsk

Vladislav Baumgertner, director general of Russian potash company Uralkali, has been arrested in Minsk, Pavel Travulka, spokesman for the Investigative Committee, told BelaPAN.

The 41-year-old Russian citizen, who is also chairman of the supervisory board of Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), is accused of abuse of office under Article 424 of the Criminal Code, said the spokesman.

In addition, criminal proceedings have been instituted against some BPC executives. These include Oleg Petrov, a member of the company's supervisory board; Konstantin Solodovnikov, first deputy director general; Igor Yevstratov, deputy director general; Dmitry Samoilov, head of the freight department, and "other people." The four named suspects, all Russian citizens, are also employees of Uralkali. They have been placed on Interpol's wanted list.

The executives are accused of abusing their office for mercenary purposes, which entailed significant harm to Belarus' state and public interests, and caused large-scale damage to BPC and Salihorsk-based potash giant Belaruskali, said Mr. Travulka.

The criminal case is apparently linked to Uralkali's July 30 decision to stop exports through BPC, its joint trader with Belaruskali.

Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Belaruskali CEO Valery Kiryyenka suggested that Uralkali may have quit the trade cartel in an effort to take over the Belarusian potash producer.

"The Russian managers of BPC left [Belarus] so hastily that they even left all of their belongings in their [Minsk] apartments and are now afraid to come back here for some unclear reason," he said.