An investigation that landed a senior Russian military officer in jail on bribery charges is threatening to snare other high-ranking Kremlin officials. Timur Ivanov, 48, was arrested on April 23 and remains in custody.
He is accused of accepting a bribe of 1 million rubles — about $10,800 — in the country’s highest-profile corruption scandal since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine two years ago. Mr. Ivanov faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Mr. Ivanov, who appeared in court last week wearing his full uniform, was appointed deputy defense minister in May 2016. He was given the lucrative job of overseeing defense procurement and acquisitions, military-related property management and troop accommodation along with housing and medical support, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.
British officials on Wednesday said the criminal investigation may have implicated another Russian military official more senior than Mr. Ivanov. The Federal Security Service has questioned Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov about the bribery case. He is effectively No. 3 in the Defense Ministry hierarchy behind Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff.
“Corruption has long been a problem in the Russian (Ministry of Defense),” U.K. intelligence officials said on X. “Corruption was a factor in Russia’s poor performance, particularly early in the Ukraine conflict, where corruption was blamed for expired ration packs and poor-quality tires. Fuel embezzlement was also reported.”
The bribery investigation also threatens to ensnare Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov. British officials said the Ministry of Defense construction agencies, which fell under Mr. Ivanov’s control, built him a house.