Timeline

1995: Mr Guriev and Mr Gorbachev take over the management of Apatit, PhosAgro’s predecessor company

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1996: Mr Guriev first awards Mr Gorbachev a share of his stake in the business in recognition of the increased exposure of his position as the public face of the company

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​1999: The PhosAgro Association is launched, with Mr Gorbachev as vice president and executive director​

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2001: First discussions about an IPO

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​2003: PhosAgro shows net profit, but figures linked to the business are arrested

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​2004: Mr Gorbachev is advised to leave Russia, but is not given any details of the alleged criminal activity involved – he is granted asylum in England (2005)

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​2005: Mr Guriev meets Mr Gorbachev in London to confirm their shareholdings

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​2006-08: Further friendly meetings in London

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​2011-12: PhosAgro is floated on the Moscow Stock Exchange. Mr Guriev refuses to meet Mr Gorbachev and stops paying Mr Gorbachev’s family’s expenses

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​2018: Mr Guriev and his entourage are served with legal papers in London

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​2019: Case disputing whether legal papers were successfully served held in Manchester. Judge rules in Mr Gorbachev’s favour

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2019-20: UK courts reject two attempts by Mr Guriev to overturn the Manchester decision. Mr Guriev’s lawyers also drop their objection to England as the appropriate jurisdiction for the case, paving the way for a full trial in the UK High Court to determine PhosAgro’s true ownership