Russian authorities have arrested another senior Defense Ministry official on charges of bribery, following the recent replacement of the defense minister in a Cabinet shake-up by President Vladimir Putin. The Investigative Committee, Russia's top law enforcement body, announced that Lt. Gen. Yury Kuznetsov, the chief of the ministry’s main personnel directorate, has been arrested on charges of bribery and is currently in custody pending investigation and trial.
Kuznetsov is accused of accepting an exceptionally large bribe, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison. During the investigation, authorities conducted searches at Kuznetsov's home and other properties, where they seized gold coins, luxury items, and approximately 100 million rubles (just over $1 million) in cash.
President Putin's decision to replace Sergei Shoigu as defense minister with Andrei Belousov has raised expectations of further purges within the ministry. Belousov, a top economic official, has been proposed as the new defense minister, pending approval by the upper house of Russia's parliament.
Shoigu's deputy, Timur Ivanov, was arrested last month on bribery charges and remains in custody pending investigation. This arrest was widely viewed as a potential precursor to Shoigu's dismissal, despite his close ties to President Putin.
Shoigu has been a key figure in Putin's decision to deploy Russian troops into Ukraine. However, the conflict in Ukraine has not unfolded as expected, with Ukrainian forces mounting a strong defense against Russian incursions, leading to setbacks for the Russian army.
This recent series of arrests and changes within the Russian Defense Ministry underscores the ongoing challenges and developments within the country's military and political landscape.
