In a significant crackdown on corruption within Russia’s military, authorities have arrested several high-ranking officials, the latest being Lieutenant-General Vadim Shamarin, deputy head of the army’s General Staff. Shamarin, who also heads the Ministry of Defence’s main communications directorate, was detained on charges of large-scale bribe-taking. His arrest follows closely on the heels of similar detentions, marking a widening corruption investigation that has deeply permeated the Russian military hierarchy.
The Investigative Committee has revealed that Shamarin is accused of accepting bribes between 2016 and 2023 from a factory in the Ural mountains producing communications equipment. In exchange, he allegedly ensured that larger state contracts were awarded to this factory, amounting to personal gains of at least 36 million roubles (approximately $400,000). Consequently, Shamarin has been placed in pre-trial detention for two months and could face a prison sentence of up to 15 years if convicted. State news agency TASS reported that he has pleaded not guilty.
This high-profile arrest of Shamarin is part of a broader anti-corruption initiative that has already seen several significant figures detained. Earlier, in April, Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested on charges of bribe-taking, signalling the start of a sweeping purge aimed at eliminating corruption in the military procurement process.
Among those also arrested are Lieutenant-General Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the Defence Ministry’s personnel directorate, and Major-General Ivan Popov, a former top commander in Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. Both are implicated in similar corruption-related allegations. Verteletsky, another senior procurement official, has been charged with abuse of authority for approving incomplete work, causing state losses exceeding 70 million roubles ($764,000).
The recent arrests represent one of the most significant corruption scandals to hit the Russian military in recent years. Notably, these developments occur as Russian forces gain momentum on the battlefield in Ukraine, regaining some ground lost earlier in the conflict. The timing of these arrests, coupled with the military’s operational changes, underscores the Kremlin’s commitment to rooting out corruption within its ranks.
In a broader context, these efforts coincide with the appointment of Andrei Belousov, an economist with no military background, as the new Defence Minister. President Vladimir Putin’s decision to replace Sergei Shoigu with Belousov is widely interpreted as a strategic move to mitigate inefficiencies and corruption within the Defence Ministry. Shoigu, who has faced widespread criticism for his handling of the military operations in Ukraine, has been reassigned to the role of secretary of Russia’s Security Council.
Despite the high-profile nature of these arrests, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has downplayed the notion of a targeted purge, emphasizing the ongoing nature of anti-corruption efforts. “The fight against corruption is consistent work,” Peskov stated, adding that “It is not a campaign, it is constantly ongoing work.”
Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin advisor, has framed Shamarin’s arrest as part of a broader audit targeting the General Staff’s communications directorate. He noted that the aim is to “increase the army’s morale and equip the army with modern communications equipment and missile and artillery guidance systems.”
Relevant articles:
– Two more Russian officials arrested in widening military corruption probe, reuters.com, 05/24/2024
– Russia arrests another general on bribery charges, Al Jazeera English, 05/23/2024
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