A high Russian army official arrested on suspicion of accepting a bribe was despatched to pre-trial detention Wednesday after showing earlier than a courtroom in central Moscow, courtroom officers stated in an announcement.
Timur Ivanov, 48, one in every of Russia’s 12 deputy protection ministers, was arrested Tuesday night, Russia’s Investigative Committee stated in an announcement. They gave no additional info, other than specifying that Ivanov is suspected of taking an particularly giant bribe — a legal offense punishable by as much as 15 years in jail.
In line with an announcement from the courtroom, investigators advised Moscow’s Basmany courtroom Wednesday that Ivanov had conspired with third events to obtain a bribe within the type of unspecified property companies “throughout contracting and subcontracting work for the wants of the Ministry of Protection.”
An acquaintance of Ivanov’s, recognized as Sergei Borodin, was additionally arrested and ordered into pre-trial detention on the identical costs, courtroom officers stated in a separate assertion. Each males are to stay in custody till at the least June 23.
In line with the protection ministry’s web site, Ivanov was appointed to the submit in 2016 by a presidential decree. He oversaw property administration, housing and medical assist for the army, development and reconstruction of amenities.
Russia’s state information company RIA Novosti quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that each President Vladimir Putin and Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu had been knowledgeable about Ivanov’s arrest, which comes as Moscow’s battle in Ukraine continues into its third 12 months.
Earlier than his arrest on Tuesday night, Ivanov was seen attending a gathering with Shoigu and different high army brass.
Russian media reported that he was in cost, amongst different issues, of a number of the development in Mariupol — a port metropolis in Ukraine’s partially occupied Donestk area which was closely bombarded and occupied by Russian forces early on within the battle in 2022.
Zvezda, the official TV channel of the Russian army, reported in the summertime of 2022 that the ministry “is constructing a whole residential block” within the severely broken metropolis and confirmed Ivanov inspecting development websites.
That very same 12 months, the workforce of the late Alexei Navalny, Russia’s most distinguished opposition chief and anti-corruption campaigner, alleged that Ivanov and his household had been residing an extravagant life with luxurious journeys overseas, lavish events and elite actual property. The opposition activists additionally alleged that Ivanov’s spouse Svetlana divorced him in the summertime of 2022, averted sanctions and continued to benefit from the lavish way of life.
Commenting on the detention of Ivanov on Tuesday, Navalny’s ally Maria Pevchikh stated on X, previously Twitter: “It is a good day as we speak.”
