The Russian Defense Ministry continues to be shaken by bribery accusations. Finally, it was announced that Yuri Kuznetsov, the head of the Ministry of Defense Personnel Management, was arrested. The Russian Investigative Committee announced that Kuznetsov was arrested on suspicion of receiving bribes, especially on a large scale.
This arrest follows that of Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, who was arrested last month on the same charge. The Investigative Committee, which has expanded its operations within Russia’s Defense Ministry, said that five other people were arrested in addition to Kuznetsov.
In the investigation, it was reported that Kuznetsov was found to have received bribes from private companies between 2021 and 2023. During the house search, it was noted that more than 1 million dollars in cash, gold and jewelry worth more than 100 million rubles were found.
This development, which took place after the dismissal of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, reveals the dimensions of the deep bribery scandal in Russia’s Defense Ministry. While it is stated that stricter measures should be taken in the fight against bribery in Russia, the investigation is ongoing.
