Together with the Deputy Minister of Defense, other suspects were detained

Izvestia: several more people were detained along with Deputy Minister of Defense Ivanov

Along with Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, several other individuals were detained who were involved in transferring money through a “complex chain of intermediaries,” a source familiar with the investigation said. The names of the detainees were not disclosed.

According to another source, searches began late in the evening of April 23 on real estate owned by Ivanov’s family.

The Investigative Service reported Ivanov’s arrest the night before. He was charged under Article 290 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for liability for receiving a bribe on an especially large scale. The maximum penalty under this article is up to 15 years in prison.

A TASS source clarified that Ivanov had been under operational surveillance for a long time, and the criminal case was being conducted by the FSB military counterintelligence. Russian President Vladimir Putin was informed of the detention of the Deputy Minister of Defense. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was also informed in advance, the press secretary added.

Ivanov has held the position of Deputy Defense Minister since 2016. Previously, he worked at enterprises of the fuel and energy complex from 1999 to 2012, then became deputy head of the government of the Moscow region, and from 2013 to 2016 headed the Oboronstroy construction holding.

In the ministry, Ivanov was responsible for property management , distribution of troops, housing and medical support for the armed forces. Under his leadership, the main temple of the Russian Armed Forces and the adjacent museum complex were built.

In 2019, he was included in the Forbes rating of “Russia’s Richest Security Forces,” where the income of Ivanov’s family was estimated at 136.7 million rubles, and his personal income was 13.6 million rubles.