According to information from the British Telegraph, a deputy defense minister was arrested in Russia on suspicion of bribery. President Vladimir Putin was informed about the arrest of Timur Vadimovich Ivanov, a high-ranking official. This move is notable as it comes amid the offensive in Ukraine.
The Russian investigative commission announced that Ivanov is suspected of having committed a crime under Part 6 of Article 290 of the Criminal Code (bribery). No further details about the allegations were given. Depending on the details of the offense, the offense can be punishable by a hefty fine or more than a decade in prison.
Ivanov is on the EU sanctions list
Ivanov is also on the European Union’s sanctions list because, as the top Defense Ministry official, he is responsible for the construction of military facilities. The Telegraph reported that he was already the subject of an investigation in 2022 by the banned anti-corruption foundation founded by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The investigation found that Ivanov oversaw and profited from construction projects in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which fell under Moscow’s control after a months-long siege. The foundation also claims that the minister divorced his wife to enable her to circumvent EU sanctions.
Opposition figures who speak out against corruption under Putin are generally not safe in Russia. Many of them, including Maria Pewtschich, an investigative journalist and anti-corruption activist, were forced to flee into exile. The majority of the remaining opposition members are in prison. Alexei Navalny, who mobilized large crowds through his revelations about corruption under Putin, died in prison in February.
