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Russia opens criminal case against Uralkali CEO

The Investigative Committee of Russia on Monday instituted criminal proceedings against Vladislav Baumgertner, director general of Uralkali potash producer, bringing closer the prospect of the executive`s return from Belarus to Russia, BelaPAN said.

According to the Investigative Committee, criminal proceedings have also been instituted against Konstantin Solodovnikov, an Uralkali executive who held the position of first deputy director general at Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), and "other people." All of the executives are suspected of abuse of office.

The law enforcement agency reportedly opened the criminal case after studying evidence passed by Belarusian investigators.

"The case file [passed by Belarus] suggests that while performing their managerial functions at business entities, the said managers abused their powers, using them contrary to the lawful interests of these entities and for the purpose of obtaining benefits and advantages for other people, which entailed considerable harm and grave consequences for Belarusian Potash Company and Belaruskali," said the Investigative Committee.

The agency said that it planned to apply to the Belarusian authorities for the extradition of Mr. Baumgertner to Russia and may also arrest other Uralkali executives under investigation in the case.

Mr. Baumgertner was arrested on August 26 as he was about to fly out of Minsk after a meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich.

The Investigative Committee of Belarus said after the arrest that Mr. Baumgertner, who chaired the supervisory board of Belarusian Potash Company, was suspected of abuse of office and so were four other Russian executives who combined their duties in BPC and Uralkali. They include Oleg Petrov, a member of the BPC`s supervisory board; Mr. Solodovnikov; Igor Yevstratov, deputy director general; Dmitry Samoilov, head of the freight department, and "other people."

A few days later, Belarusian authorities instituted criminal proceedings against Russian billionaire and Uralkali`s top shareholder Suleiman Kerimov.

The case is linked to Uralkali`s July 30 decision to de facto quit BPC, its joint trading arm with Belarusian potash giant Belaruskali. Minsk claims that the collapse of the Belarusian-Russian potash sales cartel has caused severe economic damage to Belarus.

Speaking on October 11, Alyaksandr Lukashenka said that Minsk had not yet received requests for Mr. Baumgertner`s extradition to Russia. "You can put him into a cell in Butyrka," he said, referring to a Moscow jail. "You can conduct your own investigation. We will help you. He has caused you more harm. But there have been no such requests so far."