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Uralkali CEO detained for 72 hours

Vladislav Baumgertner has been detained in Minsk on August 26

Photo ITAR-TASS/Artyom Korotaev

Photo ITAR-TASS/Artyom Korotaev

MINSK, August 28 (Itar-Tass) - The situation around Uralkali CEO detained in Belarus took an unexpected turn as Russian lawyers found out that Vladislav Baumgertner had not been arrested, but merely detained for 72 hours, Vladimir Marchukov, an advisor at the Russian Embassy in Belarus, told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

On Tuesday the Investigative Committee of Belarus reported that Interpol has issued an international arrest warrant against four top managers of Belarusian Potash Company put in the wanted list including Baumgertner.

The Russian Embassy in Belarus has not received any response to its note to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry requesting a meeting between consulate staff with Uralkali CEO detained in Minsk on August 26.

August 27, Russia’s ambassador to Belarus Alexander Surikov met with the leadership of Belarusian Prosecutor General’s Office and insisted on Baumgertner’s release. On the same day Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Igor Petrishenko was invited to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday where he met with State Secretary/Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin. "Russia stated that the detention of the businessman who was in Belarus on invitation of the republic's prime minister for the solution of important issues of Russian-Belarusian economic interaction was impermissible," a representative of the Ministry said.

Chairman of Supervisory Board for Belarusian Potash Company and CEO for Uralkali Vladislav Baumgertner has been detained in Minsk on Monday, as reported by Belarusian Investigative Committee representative Pavel Traulko.

According to its representative, the Investigative Committee inquires into criminal cases filed by the country’s Prosecutor’s Office under articles connected with authority abuse and abuse of office by employees ofBelarusian Potash Company – Chairman of Supervisory Board Vladislav Baumgertner, Supervisory Board member Oleg Petrov, First Deputy CEO Konstantin Solodovnikov, Financial Affairs Deputy CEO Igor Yevstratov, Head of Freight Department Dmitry Samoylov and other staff members.

“Reasons for initiation of criminal cases became files that indicate on the abuse of office that led to substantial damage to Belarus’s national and governmental interests, as well as losses to Beloruskali OJSC andBelarusian Potash Company CJSC,” the Investigative Committee’s representative noted.

The Investigative Committee’s spokesperson added that by virtue of the evidence available in the case, as well as other facts the Investigative Committee determined to consider the criminally persecuted persons as charged offenders.

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