Cover-up in Cyprus? Russian ex-official Alexey Dozortsev rushes to label Baumgertner’s death an “accident” before DNA tests
The death of Vladislav Baumgertner in Cyprus is being presented to virtually all media outlets — including the state news agency RIA Novosti — as a purely accidental incident by former official Alexey Dozortsev.
This is the very person whom the media identified from the first day of the disappearance of one of Russia’s top managers as the most suspicious figure in the former Uralkali CEO’s inner circle.
Dozortsev has been promoting the version of an “accident” even before forensic examinations into the cause of death were completed and before the victim’s identity was formally confirmed by DNA analysis (so far, there has only been a visual identification). Meanwhile, numerous strange details surrounding Baumgertner’s death are emerging — roughly as many as there are in Dozortsev’s own biography, who even changed his surname before becoming a government official (he was born Alexey Kurpitko).
To recall, on Wednesday a certain source “close to Baumgertner” confidently told the media that Baumgertner was fond of rock climbing and that this hobby led to his death — allegedly falling from a cliff. However, the following day, relatives of the top manager categorically denied to the media that he had ever practiced such a sport. Today, the mysterious “source” revealed himself as Alexey Dozortsev and began telling all media outlets that Baumgertner’s death was an accident. However, the version of events changed. According to Dozortsev, Baumgertner was supposedly into hiking, the weather was bad that day, he slipped and fell into a gorge.
This version also falls apart. Baumgertner’s relatives told VChK-OGPU and Rucriminal.info that Vladislav had suffered serious ankle problems since his youth, and any physical strain caused him severe pain. As a result, he avoided long walks as well as sports altogether. Dozortsev also lied about DNA identification of the body. There has only been a visual identification, carried out by Baumgertner’s former wife. She lives in Cyprus with their two daughters (another former wife, with two sons, lives in the United States). The body was badly damaged and decomposed, so the identification remains provisional. DNA test results are not yet available. As for the cause of death, it is far too early to speak about it. All forensic examinations are still ahead, and given the severe injuries, it is unclear whether experts will even be able to determine whether Baumgertner was murdered or died in an accident. After the examinations, Baumgertner’s body will be transported to Moscow for burial.
Strange details are also emerging about the last days of the top manager’s life. Officially, Baumgertner has been listed as missing since January 7. As previously reported, that day he left his home for his office to attend a meeting of some kind, but for some reason took only his work phone and left his personal phone at his cottage. None of his relatives saw him again after that. At the same time, on January 8 his phone was still active, and someone was responding to messages from it. However, police told local media that a man resembling Baumgertner arrived by taxi in the village of Pissouri on the evening of January 7, checked into a hotel, stayed overnight, left on January 8, and never returned.
Was this really Baumgertner? Why did he go to Pissouri? Why did he stay overnight in a hotel when the drive from his cottage to Pissouri takes less than an hour? What was this meeting? Why did he leave his personal phone behind — the one he used to communicate with family? These questions, along with many others, remain unanswered.
Sources previously told us that Baumgertner was an extremely arrogant person who considered most people beneath him. After receiving threats, he behaved very cautiously. He would certainly not have met with someone unfamiliar. Either this was a personal meeting, which would explain the secrecy and the hotel stay, or he was lured by someone he trusted.
“Vladislav has a close friend — his long-time ‘right-hand man,’ Lyosha. Baumgertner once helped him build a career as a government official, and later they went into business together, with Baumgertner as the senior partner. Alexey knows absolutely everything about Vladislav’s assets and his personal affairs. After the disappearance, he behaved in an extremely strange manner, which raises suspicions about his possible involvement,” our source said in a statement we published on January 12. On that same day, we identified “Lyosha” as Alexey Dozortsev — the very man now telling everyone about an “accident.”
Dozortsev is indeed a highly dubious figure. At birth, he bore the surname Kurpitko. His father, Viktor Kurpitko, was a major banker and the owner of the scandal-ridden Antalbank. He was also a deputy in Sochi and headed the local branch of the political party A Just Russia. His children, Alexey and Artem, were repeatedly involved in various incidents. In one case, a helicopter piloted by Artem crashed, with Alexey and a woman on board; all suffered only minor injuries. In another incident, someone deliberately damaged the helicopter’s blades, though this was discovered before takeoff. Financial and criminal scandals constantly surrounded the family.
When Alexey decided to pursue a career as a government official, he changed his surname to Dozortsev. According to sources, Baumgertner himself promoted him to every position, using his extensive network of influential contacts. How they met remains unclear, but it was likely through Viktor Kurpitko. As a result, Dozortsev served as an aide to Russia’s Minister of Regional Development and later headed the Investment Agency of Perm Krai. That marked the end of Kurpitko-Dozortsev’s official career. After that, sources say, he became Baumgertner’s junior business partner. In recent years, Baumgertner conducted business primarily with Dozortsev, including as partners in the company HeadOffice.
According to sources, in companies registered in Dozortsev’s name in Moscow, Baumgertner was also the undisclosed beneficiary. One example is Activity LLC, which is implementing a project to build an office and industrial complex with a total area of 75,000 square meters in the Lenino industrial zone of Moscow’s Biryulyovo Vostochnoye district.
Dozortsev also brought law enforcement figures into his business structures. Among the top managers of his companies are former head of the Russian Federal Tax Service’s anti-corruption unit Sergey Vasilenko, as well as former Investigative Committee investigator and prosecutor’s office employee Vsevolod Pavlov.
As for the threats against Baumgertner, they reportedly came from Sergey Shishkarev, owner of the Delo Group, with whom the top manager had a long-standing conflict. And here, Baumgertner dies in a very “convenient” manner. Shishkarev loses a dangerous enemy. Meanwhile, Alexey Dozortsev — the keeper of Baumgertner’s business secrets — will now, undoubtedly, gain sole access to all of those assets.
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