Russian Deputy Defence Minister Arrested for Corruption

Russia's Deputy Defence Minister, Timur Ivanov, has been arrested under suspicion of bribery, the Russian Detective Committee announced on April 23rd.

The committee announced Ivanov's arrest in the telegram, but it did not provide further details.

But, 49-year-old had been the target of an investigation published in December 2022 by the Alexei Navajo Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK).

According to the FBK, Ivanov had led them and benefited from construction projects in the Ukrainian town of Mariupol, which was almost completely destroyed by Russian forces in the first months of the entire invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

The investigation found that Ivanov and his wife, Svetlana, spent more than one million euros on vacation, in rent for villas and yachts, and on buying jewelry and clothing. He also found that Ivanov's wife's personal bills were paid by a company linked to the reconstruction of Marioupol.

According to the FBK, which was banned in Russia for allegedly extremism, the minister was divorced by his wife so that she could avoid European Union sanctions.

“Today is a good day”, said Maria Pevchikh, who led the investigation to FBK.

The man involved in our investigation was banned under suspicion of bribery. We discussed the luxurious life course of Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov in 2022”, she wrote on X.

Ivanov was appointed deputy defence minister by presidential order in May 2016.

It is sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, Great Britain and Canada. Forbes magazine had declared Ivanov to be one of the richest men in Russian security structures. / REL/