In Moscow courts, in recent weeks, a new profile of detainee has emerged: that of generals. The latest is Valery Mumindjanov, deputy commander of the Leningrad Military District. The Investigative Committee arrested the former senior official of the Ministry of Defense on Monday, September 2, accused of receiving a bribe of more than 20 million rubles (about 200,000 euros) when concluding contracts for the supply of uniforms.
Four days earlier, a former deputy defense minister, General Pavel Popov, was arrested and prosecuted for “fraud.” He allegedly got rich during the development of Patriot Park, built in the suburbs of Moscow to host army forums and fuel the Kremlin’s patriotic narrative. The investigative committee searched his personal affairs: he allegedly owns properties worth more than 500 million rubles. “in prestigious areas” in Moscow and the south of the country.
In total, in just five months, at least ten generals and defense ministry officials have been detained or prosecuted in fraud and corruption cases by the investigative committee. This powerful judicial body, which answers directly to the Kremlin, could not act without the approval of the summit. “Corruption is in the DNA of this ministry. Today is the time to do some cleaning, even if, in reality, it will not change much.”insists a European expert on the Russian army in Moscow.
Do the cleaning
This wave of arrests began just after Vladimir Putin’s re-election on March 17, with the spectacular detention on April 23 of Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, who, in charge of the reconstruction of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, was known for his extravagant lifestyle. Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the ministry’s personnel department, Vladimir Verteletsky, head of the supply department, then General Vadim Shamarine, deputy chief of staff, and finally Ivan Popov, former commander of the 58th Infantry Regiment, were subsequently imprisoned in turn.e army.
All of them are being prosecuted for fraud or corruption and face up to fifteen years in prison. These arrests, described as « purge » by some Russian military Telegram channels, have accelerated since the Kremlin appointed a new defense minister on May 12. Andrei Belousov, an economist and mathematician by training, known for being tough and honest but with no military experience, has been tasked with cleaning house.
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