Another defense vice?
FSB appears to be expanding corruption investigations in Moscow
May 2, 2024, 1:16 p.m
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The fact that there is corruption in Russia is not really new. What is astonishing, however, is that the FSB secret service is now reportedly increasingly targeting high-ranking politicians. In addition to defense deputy Ivanov, his colleague Zalikow is also said to be suspected. And another minister is probably in his sights.
The criminal investigation against Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov could also be expanded to include another defense minister. This report that Institute for the Study of War and British intelligence.
According to the US think tank, a Russian insider source writes that the FSB secret service has summoned Rustam Zalikov for questioning. The Russian Ministry of Defense may therefore put Zalikov into retirement and the authorities could file criminal charges against him in connection with Ivanov’s bribery case.
British intelligence also reported Zaikov’s summons. According to the British, Zalikov may be the third highest-ranking member of the Russian Defense Ministry behind Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov.
According to British intelligence, there is also a “realistic possibility” that the investigation could involve another high-ranking politician: Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov. According to some sources, Defense Ministry contractors built a house for him.
One of the highest-profile corruption cases since 2022
Ivanov was arrested in April. He is accused of accepting bribes on a “particularly large scale.” It is said to be one of the highest-profile corruption cases in Russia since the attack on Ukraine in 2022. As early as 2022, the anti-corruption foundation of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who died in custody, made allegations against him. He is said to have benefited from the awarding of construction contracts in Mariupol, which was destroyed by the Russians and is now occupied.
As the British continue to write, corruption is a well-known problem in the Russian Defense Ministry. This was also the reason why the Russians had difficulties at the beginning of the war against Ukraine.