TASS news agency today, April 24, quoted an announcement from the press agency of the Russian Investigative Committee saying that Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes.
" Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Vladimirovich Ivanov was arrested on suspicion of committing a crime under part 6, article 290 of the Russian Criminal Code (receiving bribes)," the notice read.
In addition, Russian news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that the report on Mr. Ivanov's detention had been presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin . Mr. Peskov added that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was informed in advance about Mr. Ivanov's arrest.
RBK news agency posted a photo of Mr. Ivanov attending a meeting of ministerial-level officials earlier on April 23 chaired by Minister Shoigu, according to Reuters.
Russian media reported that Mr. Ivanov (49 years old) could face up to 15 years in prison.
Reuters quoted information from the Russian press saying that Mr. Ivanov may be the highest-ranking Russian official to face such accusations since Moscow conducted a military campaign in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
Mr. Ivanov worked in fuel and energy trading companies as well as in the Moscow provincial government before joining the Russian Defense Ministry in 2010 and becoming deputy minister in 2016.
Forbes magazine once rated Mr. Ivanov, an expert in cybernetics and the nuclear industry, as one of the richest people in Russia's security structures.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper