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Russian security services have detained Timur Ivanov, a deputy to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, on suspicion of accepting major bribes.
The arrest, announced in a terse 22-word statement by Russia’s investigative committee, highlights a rare public crackdown on corruption within the country’s post-Soviet armed forces.
Ivanov, who has served as deputy minister of defense since 2016, is accused of taking bribes "on a particularly large scale" in violation of the law. If found guilty, he may receive a maximum term of 15 years in prison.
Ivanov's abrupt arrest has sparked conjecture on possible power struggles inside Russia's elite circles, considering his tight relationship with Shoigu, who President Vladimir Putin tasked with supervising military operations in Ukraine.
The Kremlin announced that Defense Minister Shoigu had also been informed of Ivanov's incarceration, in addition to President Putin. This information adds another degree of intrigue to the events taking place, especially since Ivanov was present earlier on Tuesday at a high-level meeting that was presided over by Shoigu.
Ivanov, who was 48 years old, held significant responsibilities within the defence ministry, overseeing property management, housing, construction, and mortgages. The ministry, however, has refrained from issuing any official statements regarding Ivanov’s detention.
According to reports from Russia’s Kommersant newspaper, Ivanov was apprehended by the Federal Security Service (FSB), Putin’s designated agency to combat corruption in state defence procurement. While there’s no official confirmation, Izvestia newspaper suggests that additional individuals may have been detained in connection with the case, with Ivanov’s properties reportedly under investigation.
