Russian businessman’s remains found on British base in Cyprus

The former CEO of potash giant Uralkali, Vladislav Baumgertner, went missing in early January

The remains discovered on a UK military base in southern Cyprus earlier this year have been identified belonging to Vladislav Baumgertner, the former head of Russian potash giant Uralkali, TASS reported on Wednesday.

The businessman’s body was identified through DNA analysis, British military police told the outlet.

“We have no information about the cause of death,” a police spokesperson said. “This means that the cause has not yet been determined.”

Baumgertner went missing in early January in the Limassol area. A week later, police found a body in a gorge on the territory of a British base. At the time, the authorities said it was impossible to identify the remains immediately due to advanced decomposition.

The businessman made international headlines in 2013 when he was arrested at Minsk airport in Belarus while travelling for talks with Belarusian officials.

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The arrest followed the collapse of cooperation between Russia’s Uralkali and the Belarusian state-owned producer Belaruskali, a dispute that became known as the “potash war.”

He was charged with abuse of power for withdrawing Uralkali from a joint venture with Belaruskali, allegedly costing the Belarusian company about $100 million in damages. Baumgertner was held under house arrest in Minsk for three months before being extradited to Russia. The charges were dropped in 2015.

His body will reportedly be transported from Cyprus to Moscow, where the funeral will take place.