VLADIMIR Putin’s cronies have dramatically arrested a prime Russian army official on suspicion of accepting a bribe.
Timur Ivanov, 48, one in every of Russia’s 12 deputy defence ministers, might withstand 15 years in jail if discovered responsible of accepting a “hefty” bribe.
Ivanov, the highest official in command of the nation’s building of army services, was detained by the Investigative Committee – Russia’s prime legislation enforcement company.
He has been accused of taking a bribe of multiple million rubles (£8,500), it’s understood.
Kremlin spokesperson stated that each Putin and Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu have been knowledgeable in regards to the arrest.
Ivanov was sanctioned by each the US and the European Union in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.
He was appointed to the publish in 2016 by a presidential decree and oversaw property administration, housing and medical assist for the army.
Russian media claimed that he was in command of in depth building in Mariupol – a port metropolis in Ukraine’s partially occupied Donetsk area which was closely bombarded and occupied by Russian forces in 2022.
Russian army beforehand reported that the ministry was constructing a whole residential block within the severely broken metropolis – and confirmed Ivanov inspecting building websites.
That very same yr, the group of the late Alexei Navalny, the Kremlin’s prime critic, alleged that Ivanov and his household had been residing an extravagant life stuffed with luxurious journeys overseas, lavish events and elite actual property – indicating corruption.
Ivanov now joins the record of many such high-profile arrests in Putin’s regime.
Final yr in December, the final in command of Putin’s feared “Devil-2” nukes was dramatically arrested in a fraud scandal that rocked Moscow.
Lieutenant Normal Oleg Frolov, 61, the deputy director of the Russian area company Roscosmos, was held together with two different alleged co-conspirators.
He was accused of enjoying a job in a play to steal £4million from the Russian state – which is thought to be rife with corruption.
Ukraine braces for mega blitz
The high-profile arrest comes after Russia scaled up its assault on Ukraine, hinting in direction of Putin’s feared spring offensive that would begin as early as subsequent month.
For weeks, Putin’s military has been pounding Ukraine with relentless waves of missile and drone strikes, terrorising its 1.3million residents and killing dozens.
Kharkiv’s energy services have been broken significantly badly since Russia final month started focusing on the important civilian infrastructure, specializing in its vitality system.
On March 22, Russian assaults destroyed the town’s two fundamental energy vegetation and a community of substations, plunging it into darkness and leaving 1000’s with out electrical energy.
Final week, Kharkiv’s mayor warned the frontline metropolis is in peril of turning into a “second Aleppo” as Russian aerial assaults flip it right into a wasteland.
Ihor Terekhov stated that except the West steps up and delivers essential air defence methods, Kharkiv might undergo the identical destiny because the Syrian metropolis, which heavy Russian bombing diminished to rubble a decade in the past.
He begged for the West to step in and ship essential air defences.
Referencing the now-passed US £50billion support invoice, he instructed The Guardian: “We’d like that assist to stop Kharkiv being a second Aleppo.”
Deliveries of US weapons are attributable to begin inside days after Republican congressmen lastly ended a five-month impasse within the Home of Representatives.
The $61billion (£49billion) bundle is because of get ultimate approval from the US Senate right now.
Zelensky stated the brand new weapons would let Ukraine’s forces “stabilise the entrance line”.