A Russian court on Wednesday ordered one of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s deputies to be held in custody on suspicion of accepting bribes, the highest-profile corruption case since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022. .
Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was detained at work on Tuesday by the Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, for accepting large bribes.
Moscow’s Basmanny District Court ordered Ivanov to be held in custody until June 23. Ivanov, 48, was shown in uniform standing in a glass cell in the courtroom, frowning slightly, according to images released by the court service.
“The investigation believes that Ivanov entered into a criminal conspiracy with third parties, associating with them in advance to commit an organized crime by an organized group,” the court service said.
It added that the conspiracy was to receive “goods and services on a particularly large scale during contract and subcontract work for the Ministry of Defence”.
Ivanov, who has said he is innocent, faces 15 years in prison if convicted. State media gave full coverage to the case.
The sudden arrest of an ally of Shoigu, whom Putin put in charge of fighting the war in Ukraine, triggered speculation about a battle within the elite and a public crackdown on corruption that has plagued the post-Soviet Russian military.
Some Russian bloggers, who have accused senior generals of incompetence, rejoiced at the apparent downfall of a high-ranking military officer long linked to the ostentatious opulence that Putin has made clear he does not want to see displayed in wartime.
A Russian source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Ivanov was a close ally of Shoigu and that his arrest was a severe blow to the defense minister. Shoigu, Putin’s ally and one of the most powerful men in Russia, is expected to maintain his position in an upcoming government shake-up.
The Kremlin said Putin and Shoigu had been informed. A close friend of Ivanov, Sergei Borodin, was also accused of conspiring to accept bribes.
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Tags: Russia detains ally Defense Minister Shoigu alleged corruption
