Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested on suspicion of taking bribes on Tuesday, marking a rare arrest of a member of the Kremlin’s elite.
“Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Timur Vadimovich Ivanov has been detained on suspicion of committing a crime under Part 6 of Article 290 of the Criminal Code [taking a bribe],” Russia’s Investigative Committee said on Telegram on Tuesday evening, without elaborating.
Russia’s Basmanny Court arrests Deputy Minister of Defense Timur Ivanov in bribery case
Ivanov is accused of accepting a particularly large bribe, the Moscow City Court reports.
Ivanov, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. and the EU, has held the post of Russian deputy defense minister since May 2016. His role includes asset management, overseeing the construction of ministry facilities, providing medical support for Russia’s military, and managing troop housing.
According to Russia’s state-run news agency Tass, the section under the Criminal Code under which Ivanov was arrested applies to bribes over 1 million rubles ($10,800).
