Russian Defense Officials Detained in Embezzlement Case
On August 5, Vyacheslav Akhmedov, head of the Patriot project under the Russian Ministry of Defense, and Vladimir Sheterov, his deputy, were detained in Russia. They are suspected of embezzling over 40 million rubles.
The news was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The funds were allegedly stolen during purchases for the Patriot Park, a personal initiative of former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Shoigu’s former deputy, Timur Ivanov, who oversaw the park’s construction, was also recently detained.
One military blogger suggested the arrests could signal a waning influence for Shoigu within the Kremlin.
An informed source claimed that Pavel Popov, a recently dismissed Deputy Defense Minister, could be the next to be arrested. Earlier reports indicated ongoing investigations and document seizures at Patriot Park.
State news agency TASS denied any connection to the criminal case against Ivanov, attributing the investigations to the theft of the aforementioned funds.
These arrests are part of a broader crackdown on high-ranking officials within the Russian Defense Ministry. In April, Timur Isakov, the general director of Voentorg, and businessman Timur Isakov were detained on charges of massive embezzlement. Other officials, including Dmitry Bulgakov, responsible for logistics, have also been arrested since April.
Analysts suggest these dismissals and arrests are linked to Russia’s struggles on the Ukrainian front and their colossal losses.