Russia furious after boss of fertiliser giant Uralkali detained in Belarus Vladislav Baumgertner, chief executive of the mining group Uralkali, was detained in Minsk, Belarus, on Monday after he was invited for talks with the prime minister Mikhail Myasnikovich, according to the company. The move came after Uralkali, the world's largest producer of the fertiliser potash, broke up the cartel it operated with Belaruskali, a rival producer backed by the Belarusian state, accusing its partner of selling outside the agreement. In response, Belarus has detained Mr Baumgartner on suspicion of abusing his position and official powers in relation to the decision. He was shown on Bealrusian state television in handcuffs and surrounded by police. Four of the company's managers are also wanted, with Belarus claiming to have uncovered a criminal scheme for Uralkali executives to enrich themselves. BeIgor Shuvalov, Russia's first deputy prime minister, said the reaction by Bealrus was "way out of line ... odd, inappropriate and not fitting to a partnership." The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "the fact of Baumgertner's detention and the media campaign around ... doesn't correspond to the nature of our relations as allies." Uralkali confirmed that Mr Baumgertner had been taken into custody "in accordance with investigative procedures launched by the Belarusian authorities" and denied any wrongdoing by him or any other manager. The group's decision to exit the potash trading cartel it operated with Belaruskali has been read as a move that could rewrite the industry's fundamentals. Falling prices are forecast as potash producers race to secure market volumes, rather than focus on keeping prices high. That represents a headache for Belarus" president Alexander Lukashenko, dubbed "Europe's last dictator," given his country's reliance on potash exports. Uralkali is listed in Moscow, while its GDRs are traded in London.