Former Russian Deputy Defense Minister Arrested For Corruption Cases

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested former Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov in a corruption case.

State news agency RIA quoted the FSB as saying an investigation was underway to prove the fact of the alleged "illegal activity" of Bulgakov. Bulgakov was taken to a pre-trial detention center in Moscow.

Bulgakov, who was in charge of military logistics until he was sacked in September 2022, is the latest person from a series of key figures at the Ministry of Defense charged with corruption.

The arrests were the biggest scandal that has plagued the Russian army over the years and occurred at a time when the new defense minister, Andrei Belousov, an economist without military experience, was tasked with clearing soldiers from corruption and simplifying their finances to fund what the military was doing.

Moscow calls it a special military operation' in Ukraine.

The eradication of high-level corruption began on April 23 with the arrest of Deputy Minister of Defense Timur Ivanov, a close ally of former Defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu.

Since then, at least five military and defense officials have been arrested.

The Kremlin underestimated previous arrests and said other Russian state agencies were also involved in similar anti-corruption efforts.

Bulgakov, 69, graduated from the Russian military academy and has held various logistical positions in the army, according to its official biography.

He served as deputy defense minister until he was replaced in 2022 and was the recipient of several of the highest military and civilian awards, including the Russian Hero award, the highest award in the country.