UK intelligence highlights corruption problems in Russian Defense Ministry

The UK Ministry of Defense reported the information.

It noted that the investigation into the case of Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was probably involving a more senior first deputy, Ruslan Tsalikov. He is actually number three in the Defense Ministry hierarchy after Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov.

According to intelligence reports, Tsilakov worked under Shoigu in the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Situations and followed Shoigu to the Moscow region governorship and then in 2012 to the Defense Ministry.

There is also a real possibility that the investigation into Ivanov could also affect Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, as some sources claim that the Defense Ministry's construction agencies built a house for Siluanov.

Intelligence experts believe that corruption has long been a factor in the poor performance of the Russian Defense Ministry, especially at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when there were suspicions of overdue rations, poor quality tires, and fuel theft.

Background

On April 23, the Russian Investigative Committee announced the detention of Ivanov. 

At the same time, the Russian media outlet Medusa reported that there was an unofficial version of Ivanov's arrest - he was allegedly suspected of treason. Meanwhile, Ivanov's lawyer Murad Musayev told RIA Novosti that "there are no other charges than the announced bribery charge".

The next day, Ivanov was arrested until June 23, 2024. On the evening of April 24, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu issued an order to remove Timur Ivanov from his position as deputy.