Russian Defence Officials Face Serious Corruption Charges

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Friday that corruption investigations involving Russian defense officials are under way and will lead to court trials. Pavel Popov, a former deputy defense minister, has been detained on fraud charges. The scandal has led to multiple detentions and the dismissal of former defense minister Sergei Shoigu.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced on Friday that ongoing corruption investigations involving Russian defense officials are progressing, with serious charges that will culminate in court trials.

A military court in Moscow detained Pavel Popov, a former deputy defense minister, on Thursday on suspicion of fraud. This is part of a series of corruption probes targeting officials connected to former defense minister Sergei Shoigu.

“This is the systematic work of law enforcement agencies,” Peskov told reporters, withholding further details pending the investigation’s completion. The scandal, one of the most significant to hit Russia’s defense and military establishment in years, has led to at least a dozen detentions since April.

In a surprising move in May, President Vladimir Putin replaced the long-serving Shoigu with economist Andrei Belousov as defense minister to ensure tighter management of Russia’s defense budget. Those under investigation served during Shoigu's tenure from 2012 to this May. Investigators allege Popov's case involves fraud related to constructing a military theme park near Moscow.

(With inputs from agencies.)