Russia has arrested Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov on charges of organised corruption today, marking the highest-profile case since the start of the country’s full-scale conflict with Ukraine.
A statement released by Russia’s Investigative Committee on Wednesday cited a statute related to accepting bribes “on a particularly large scale,” confirming Ivanov’s arrest made a day prior.
State media displayed brief footage of Ivanov appearing in a Moscow court, facing the possibility of a 15-year prison sentence if found guilty.
According to the TASS news agency, Ivanov will be held in detention for two months. Additionally, Sergei Borodin has been apprehended on suspicion of complicity in receiving bribes alongside Ivanov.
Ivanov, aged 48, managed military construction and repairs, allegedly participating in a “criminal conspiracy” to manipulate contracts for personal gain, which reportedly contributed to an extravagant lifestyle.
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The Kremlin has dismissed claims circulating in certain Russian media outlets suggesting that the underlying cause behind Mr. Ivanov’s arrest was suspicion of treason.
“There are many different interpretations around all this now… You need to focus on official information,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov conveyed to reporters.
Ivanov’s lawyer Denis Baluyev told Russian news outlet RIA Novosti: “We will appeal the court’s decision to detain him, Ivanov does not admit his guilt.”
He also clarified that Ivanov has asked to be released under house arrest to be with his children.
