The executive of the "Human Resources" department in the Russian Ministry of Defense, Yuri Kuznetsov was arrested on suspicion of bribery, the Investigative Committee of Russia said today, quoted by Reuters, writes BTA.
The committee said that Kuznetsov was suspected of "receiving a bribe on particularly large scales".
At least five people have been arrested in connection with a growing bribery scandal at the Defense Ministry that began on April 23 with the detention of Deputy Minister Timur Ivanov, Reuters notes.
Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was unexpectedly removed from his post on Sunday and appointed secretary of Russia's Security Council.
In the new government, which is in the process of being approved by the parliament, Andrey Belousov will be appointed in his place – an economist who was previously deputy prime minister.
"According to the investigation, in the period 2021-2023, while he was the head of the 8th Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Kuznetsov received a bribe from representatives of commercial structures in exchange for carrying out certain actions in their benefit", said the Investigative Committee.