Corruption in Russia

Next high-ranking officer arrested

The Russian military leadership has been rocked by corruption scandals and arrests for weeks. Now the deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, Vadim Shamarin, has been arrested on suspicion of corruption, according to state media.

The 52-year-old Shamarin, who headed the main communications department, is alleged to have taken bribes when concluding contracts. A military court in Moscow initially ordered him to be held in custody for two months.

Ex-Wagner boss repeatedly complained about corrupt officers
The Russian military apparatus is considered to be extremely corrupt. Most recently, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov and the head of the main cadre department, Yuri Kuznetsov, were arrested. In particular, the former head of the Russian private army Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, had repeatedly complained about a bribery economy in the military leadership and blamed defeats in the war of aggression against Ukraine on this.

The former confidant of ruler Vladimir Putin died in a plane crash in August - two months after a failed uprising. Prigozhin's criticism was primarily directed at Sergei Shoigu, whom Putin dismissed as defense minister this month and appointed as the new secretary of the National Security Council. The economic expert Andrei Beloussov is now to bring order to the military leadership and spending as the new defense minister.

Corruption also a widespread problem in Ukraine
War opponent Ukraine is also fighting corruption within the security apparatus. A few months ago, for example, a system of corruption in the purchase of weapons by the Ukrainian military was uncovered. High-ranking officials and ministers have already been arrested in the course of investigations. Most recently, the Ukrainian Minister of Agriculture was arrested.