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Russian investigators ready to cooperate with Belarus in Uralkali case

Uralkali CEO suspected of abuse of office

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

KHABAROVSK, August 29 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's Investigative Committee said it was ready to cooperate with Belarus in the Uralkali case if requested. "If they (Belarus) ask us, we'll provide necessary assistance to them; there have been no such requests so far," acting Investigative Committee chairman Vasily Piskarev told reporters.

Director General of Russia's Uralkali company Vladislav Baumgеrtner was detained in Minsk on August 26. The Belarusian authorities accuse him of misuse of $100 million. They also said they had reasons for opening a criminal case against Uralkali's majority shareholder Suleiman Kerimov.

The Belarusian Investigative Committee said Baumgеrtner had been arrested based on evidence pointing to company top managers' abuse of office. It caused damage to the state and public interests of Belarus, as well as to Belaruskali and the Belarusian Potassium Company.

Belarusian investigators said Interpol had issued wanted notices for four top managers of the Belarusian Potassium Company (BKK): board member Oleg Petrov, First Deputy Director General Konstantin Solodovnikov, Deputy Director General for finance Igor Yevstratov and head of the freight department, Dmitry Samoilov.

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