General Timur Ivanov behind bars.Photo: Russian media
Moscow is witnessing a new wave of repression involving generals accused of corruption. This phenomenon is not limited to the Ministry of Defence, but also applies to other security agencies. This is reported by the news portal TimeUkraineIsrael with reference to the UK Ministry of Defence on the social network X (Twitter).
Corruption schemes and new charges
According to the report, on 7 October 2024, Russian media reported that the prosecutor’s office had brought new charges against Timur Ivanov, a former deputy defence minister who was previously indicted in April 2024. The first charge relates to the embezzlement of 200 million rubles (approximately $2 million) during the purchase of two vessels for the Kerch Strait ferry, which were damaged as a result of the hostilities. The second charge relates to the embezzlement of 3 billion rubles (approximately $200 million) from Intercommerz Bank during the purchase of foreign currency.
British intelligence notes that charges against former senior military officials continue to pile up. This represents the largest ever prosecution of highly professional officials below the level of government.
Large-scale layoffs and likely consequences
Russian media also reported that eight generals had been dismissed from bodies such as the Investigative Committee, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Federal Penitentiary Service. Independent journalists suggest that this is due to future corruption charges. The UK Ministry of Defence notes: “If true, this could be a potential indication that the crackdown on corruption is moving beyond the defence sector.”
Political changes and arrests
As a reminder, after Vladimir Putin took office for his fifth presidential term, significant changes were made in the government. In particular, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was dismissed and appointed Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, while Nikolai Patrushev, who had been head of the Security Council since 2008, became an aide to the president. Andriy Bilousov was appointed Minister of Defence.
The arrests of generals began in the spring of 2024. However, according to British intelligence, it will not be possible to completely eradicate corruption in the Russian military.
The large-scale purge of generals in Moscow shows that corruption has become a serious problem that the authorities are trying to overcome. However, real change may not be so easy, and the fight against corruption in Russia’s security forces continues to be a complex and intricate process.