Russian law enforcement officials have detained Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov on suspicion of taking a bribe, the Investigative Committee said on April 23.
The committee announced the arrest of Ivanov on Telegram but provided no further details.
The 49-year-old was the subject of an investigation published in December 2022 by Aleksei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested on April 23 on suspicion of receiving a bribe worth one million rubles, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Ivanov, who has been in charge of military construction projects since 2016, including the largest military housing program in Russia, was detained by Russian law enforcement authorities.
The high-profile arrest, which comes amidst Russia’s ongoing military operations in Ukraine, has been reported by various news outlets, and it has been suggested that the move may signal changes within the military elites. Both President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu were reportedly informed of Ivanov’s arrest in advance.
It said that Ivanov oversaw and profited from construction projects in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which was largely destroyed by Russian forces in the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The investigation showed that Ivanov and his wife, Svetlana, spent more than 1 million euros ($1.07 million) on vacations, renting villas and yachts, jewelry, and clothes. It also showed that the personal bills of Ivanov’s wife were paid by a company engaged in the restoration of Mariupol.
According to the FBK, which has been banned in Russia for alleged extremism, the minister divorced his wife to allow her to bypass EU sanctions.
“Today is a good day,” said Maria Pevchikh, the head of investigations at the foundation, in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“The person involved in our investigation was detained on suspicion of bribery. We talked about the glamorous and luxurious life of Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov back at the end of 2022.”
Ivanov was appointed deputy defense minister by presidential decree in May 2016.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said a report on Ivanov’s detention had been presented to President Vladimir Putin, according to Russian news agencies.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had been informed in advance of his detention, he said.
Ivanov’s duties included overseeing housing for troops and the construction and overhaul of ministry facilities. Ivanov has been designated for sanctions by United States, the European Union, Britain, and Canada.
Forbes magazine listed Ivanov as one of the wealthiest men in Russia’s security structures.
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