Partnership between Russia and Belarus in the field of potash production should be restored. That was the statement from Uralkali shareholders. "Uralkali feels comfortable in the current situation, working at full capacity, selling in the market 100 percent of its production and having the lowest cost of production in the industry," Onexim Group Chief Executive Officer Dmitry Razumov, who owns a 27.8 percent stake at the company, said. Currently, there are no negotiations between Russian and Belarus counterparts. However, journalists managed to interview Belaruskali’s Deputy Director General for Commerce and Logistics Andrey Rybak. He said that the company is open to discuss any beneficial forms of cooperation; however, he did not specify any details. Business relationships were broken after unexpected arrest of Vladislav Baumgertner, the chairman of the supervisory board of Belarusian potash company last year. Baumgertner was charged in abuse of power. A bit later Suleiman Kerimov, the former shareholder of Uralkali and Russian senator was identified as the suspect as well. According to the investigators, the company's management caused harm to interests of Belarus and $100 million in damages. Consequently, Kerimov had to sell his share of Uralkali resulting in Mikhail Prokhorov’s acquisition of a 21.75 percent stake. Moreover, Russian government went to meet the request of Alexander Lukashenko to assist in the change of the company’s CEO. Today, the position is taken by Uralchem Board of Directors Deputy Chairman Dmitry Osipov. In January 2014, it was revealed that Belarus lost $1.5-1.7 billion as of 2013 on the conflicts in potash industry.
