Fraud Allegations Strike Former Deputy Defence Minister in Russia

Russia's Investigative Committee has opened a fraud case against former deputy defence minister Pavel Popov. He is accused of diverting materials from a military theme park to his own property. This case is a part of a larger corruption crackdown in Russia's defence sector.

Russia's Investigative Committee announced on Thursday the opening of a fraud case against Pavel Popov, a former deputy defence minister. This marks the latest in a series of high-profile corruption investigations.

Popov, who has been in office since 2013, is now the third senior official under scrutiny for misappropriation related to the construction of the Patriot Park. Previous detentions this month included Major General Vladimir Shesterov and Vyacheslav Akhmedov, the park's director.

According to the Investigative Committee, Popov illicitly redirected resources from Patriot Park to his private residence beginning in 2021. The probe has identified family-owned properties, totalling over 500 million roubles ($5.47 million), as part of the investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)