The body of Vladislav Baumgertner, former CEO of Russian potash company Uralkali, has been identified after being discovered on Avdimou beach in southern Cyprus on January 15.
Baumgertner, 53, had been reported missing from his residence in Limassol on January 7. DNA analysis confirmed his identity, and his family has been notified.
The area where the body was found falls under the jurisdiction of the British Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs), which maintain their own police force and legal system. The British Bases Police are conducting an investigation into the circumstances and cause of Baumgertner’s death. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, immediate identification was not possible, and a forensic pathologist from abroad was brought in to perform the autopsy.
Baumgertner gained international attention in 2013 when he was arrested in Belarus amid a dispute between Uralkali and the Belarusian state-owned company Belaruskali, known as the “potash war.” He was charged with abuse of power but was later extradited to Russia, where the charges were eventually dropped in 2015.
In recent years, Baumgertner had been residing in Cyprus, where he was involved in various business ventures. The investigation into his death is ongoing, with authorities exploring all possible scenarios, including accident, suicide, or foul play.
