Dismissals and corruption: Upheaval in Russia's defence department
Nikolai Patrushev, assistant to the President of Russia, and Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev smiled broadly as Defence Minister Andrey Belousov thanked his predecessor Sergei Shoigu for "achievements in the development of the defence department."
"I would like to sincerely thank Sergei Shoigu for creating a solid foundation in the development of the armed forces," Belousov said during the expanded Monday meeting of the Ministry of Defence's board under the chairmanship of Vladimir Putin.
They couldn't contain their laughter
As Belousov spoke these words, the camera showed Sergei Shoigu. Like the rest of the participants, all had stone-faced expressions. The Moscow Times noted that only Patrushev and Kolokoltsev smiled conspicuously.
Shoigu served as defence minister for over 12 years and was dismissed in May 2024 after failed attempts to secure a military victory over Ukraine. He took the position of Secretary of the Security Council, and three of his former deputies were arrested on corruption charges.
A series of arrests in the Russian ministry
In the summer of 2024, Pavel Popov, a former deputy head of the Ministry of Defence, was arrested on fraud charges in constructing the "Patriot" park.
Earlier, the court arrested two other of Shoigu's deputies – Dmitry Bulgakov for corrupt transactions worth approximately CAD 18 million.
Timur Ivanov also received a sentence for accepting a bribe of roughly CAD 16.5 million.
Vadim Shamarin, deputy chief of the General Staff, and Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defence, were also arrested.
