Russian Defense Officials Admit to Taking $120k in Bribes

Two senior Russian defence officials, Ivan Populovsky and Grigory Zorin, have admitted to accepting bribes totaling over 11 million roubles ($120,000) from companies contracted to supply electrical products to the Defence Ministry. This corruption scandal has led to multiple arrests and the removal of long-serving Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Two senior Russian defence officials have confessed to taking bribes, investigators revealed on Monday. The officials, Ivan Populovsky and Grigory Zorin, admitted to receiving over 11 million roubles ($120,000) from companies that supplied electrical products to the Defence Ministry.

This case is part of a larger wave of corruption scandals that have rocked the Russian military since April. More than a dozen senior military officers and ministry officials have been arrested so far, with ongoing investigations covering areas like property services, military uniforms, and the construction of a military theme park near Moscow.

In response to the scandals, President Vladimir Putin removed long-serving Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in May, appointing economist Andrei Belousov to tighten management of the defence budget. All officials under investigation served under Shoigu, who is now part of Putin's Security Council.

(With inputs from agencies.)