Kremlin defends Kerimov

Putin's spokesman said the situation of putting Suleyman Kerimov on the wanted list needed to be figured out.

“We need information about particular charges against Suleyman Kerimov, but regardless of this case we can say that the defence of interests of Russian citizens, including the defence the interests of Russian business, is a constant duty of the country's leadership,” Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Kommersant FM.

Suleyman Kerimov, Uralkali's shareholder, was charged in the criminal case against executives of the Belarusian Potash Company, the press service of the Belarusian Investigation Committee reports.

Criminal cases were initiated against chairman of the BPC Supervisory Board Vladislav Baumgertner, Supervisory Board member Oleg Petrov, first deputy general director Konstantin Solodovnikov, deputy general director for finance Igor Yevstratov and head of the freight department Dmitry Samoilov. They are accused of abuse of power for personal gain that inflicted gross harm to the state and public interests of the Republic of Belarus and caused large-scale damage to Belaruskali and BPC.

Vladislav Baumgertner was arrested in Minsk on August 26. The Russian authorities already demanded to release him immediately.