Shortly after the dismissal of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, a senior official in the Ministry of Defense was arrested. General Yuri Kuznetsov, in charge of human resources at the ministry, was detained on suspicion of corruption. A source in the police stated that Kuznetsov "was arrested on suspicion of engaging in criminal activities," according to the Russian news agency TASS on Tuesday. It was also noted that security forces searched his office and home as part of the investigation conducted by the military affairs department of the Russian Investigative Committee, which is responsible for major investigations in the country.
In response, the Kremlin confirmed that it does not see any risks of disruption within the army. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated during a press conference today, "We do not see any risks of disruption in the functioning of the armed forces" following the expected appointment of civilian figure, former First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, as Minister of Defense.
It is noteworthy that Kuznetsov's arrest came shortly after the unexpected dismissal of Shoigu, who had held the position since 2012. This also follows the detention of Deputy Defense Minister Timor Ivanov, responsible for building military facilities, on charges of corruption and "accepting bribes" at the end of April, leading to his pre-trial detention. General Kuznetsov was appointed to his position in May 2023 and headed a department in the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces from 2010 to 2023, according to TASS.
Over the past decades, the Russian military has faced several corruption scandals, particularly in the 1990s and the early 2000s, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, resulting in severe prison sentences. However, the recent corruption cases bear a sensitive nature, having emerged amid Moscow's ongoing war in Ukraine, which has resulted in significant material and human losses.
