MOSCOW, November 21 (RAPSI) - Uralkali CEO Vladislav Baumgertner is being extradited to Russia, Prosecutor General's Office announced on Thursday. He did not appeal his extradition with Belarusian authorities.

Baumgertner was detained in Minsk on August 26. According to the Belarusian authorities, the criminal case against him 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 the company Belarusian Potash.

The charges followed a July decision by Uralkali to dissolve its international cartel with Belaruskali, sending potash prices spiraling down. Baumgertner remains in Minsk since he was placed under house arrest in September.

A criminal investigation into the chief executive of the world's largest potash producer was opened in Russia on October 15. On October 21, Moscow's Basmanny District court issued an arrest warrant in absentia for Baumgertner.

Baumgertner's extradition had been widely expected after Uralkali’s chief shareholder, billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, concluded a preliminary deal, estimated to be worth up to $4.4 billion, to sell out of the company.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has not hidden his distaste for Baumgertner and Kerimov, who he accuses of causing severe financial damage to both Uralkali and Belaruskali.

Former Russian presidential candidate Mikhail Prokhorov said Monday that he had reached an agreement to buy Kerimov's 21.75 percent in Uralkali.