The family of Vladislav Baumgertner, the former head of Russian fertiliser giant Uralkali, on Tuesday demanded a new investigation into his death in Cyprus and sought to block his burial, saying the official account of a ‘fatal fall’ does not withstand scrutiny.
Baumgertner, 56, was found dead in January in a ravine along Limassol’s coastline, days after he was reported missing from his home in Pissouri.
Police initially said there were no signs of criminal activity, with early reports suggesting he may have fallen while hiking.
His sons, Roman, 24, and Alexandre, 19, together with their mother Irina, have challenged that conclusion.
According to Russian media outlets, the family has formally asked police in Moscow to halt the issuance of a burial permit until an independent investigation is completed.
Their lawyers submitted the request to authorities in the Tsaritsino district of Moscow, where Baumgertner’s body was transferred earlier this month.
“Our clients oppose the burial until the investigation is fully completed,” their lawyer said, adding that a forensic examination has been scheduled but not yet been finalised.
Baumgertner’s ex-wife, Yulia, has reportedly pressed for an immediate cremation and said all necessary permissions have been secured.
However, the office responsible for issuing the burial document denied to proceed.
Baumgertner disappeared on January 7 after leaving home for what was described as a business meeting.
A search was launched four days later, and on January 14 a body was found near the village of Avdimou, close to the last known location of his mobile phone.
The area falls under the jurisdiction of the British bases, where an autopsy was carried out, yet due to the severity of the injuries, identification required DNA testing.
The exact cause of death has never been publicly released, with sources close to the matter informing the Cyprus Mail that the circumstances “seemed unnatural”.
His lawyers argue that Baumgertner’s phone remained active after his disappearance and that messages were answered the following day.
They also question why he checked into a hotel roughly an hour from his home and why he would have gone hiking given reported knee problems and an apparent ‘fear of heights’.
Baumgertner was a prominent and controversial figure in Russian business circles.
In 2013 he was arrested in Belarus amid a bitter dispute between Uralkali and state-owned Belaruskali in what became known as the “potash war”.
Accused of abuse of power, he was later extradited to Moscow, placed under house arrest and dismissed from his post.
The case was dropped in 2015, where upon he resettled in Cyprus.
His sons reiterated that “until we know exactly what happened there can be no burial.”
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