MOSCOW, August 29 (RAPSI) - Russian billionaire and Uralkali shareholder Suleyman Kerimov may face criminal charges in Belarus, RIA Novosti reported Thursday.

“As of today the records received by the Investigative Committee give the ground for opening a criminal case against Uralkali shareholder Suleyman Kerimov and detaining him,” the agency quoted Pavel Traulko, representative of Belarus' Investigative Committee, as having said.

Vladislav Baumgertner, Chief Executive Officer of OAO Uralkali, the world's largest potash producer, was detained in Minsk Monday and charged with abuse of power, according to the Investigative Committee of Belarus. According to the Belarusian authorities, the criminal case was launched as the result of a probe into abuse of power allegations that led to grave damage to the public interests of Belarus, and damages to Belarusian Potash company.

Uralkali reacted swiftly, blaming Belarus authorities for the incident. "We are suprised with what has happened and consider it a provocation," PRIME business news agency quoted Uralkali representative Alexander Babinsky as saying.

The investigation and pending charges were reportedly motivated by the breach of a cooperation deal between Uralkali and Belaruskali through the Belarusian Potash Company.

Uralkali reviewed its sales strategy in July, at which point it opted to focus on production scale and quash its cooperation with the company Belarusian Potash as a result. Valery Kirienko, the CEO of the Belarusian potash giant, said the company was considering its legal options.