Corruption crackdown: Another top Russian general detained

"Corruption is deeply rooted in the Russian MOD, and there will likely be further arrests," predicts the British Ministry of Defence. This comment comes in response to recent reports of the arrest of another high-ranking Russian official.

The British Ministry of Defence stated on Saturday that Gen. Vadim Shamarin, the Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff, is the latest high-ranking official of the Russian Ministry of Defence to be arrested on corruption charges since Sergei Shoigu's dismissal.

In the daily intelligence update, it was reported that Shamarin was arrested on Thursday on charges of accepting large bribes and subsequently charged under Article 290, Section 6 of the Russian Criminal Code, which pertains to accepting bribes on an immense scale.

He is the latest high-ranking Ministry of Defence official to be arrested on corruption charges, following Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov and Head of Human Resources Yuri Kuznetsov.

The statement said all these arrests have occurred since Sergei Shoigu was dismissed from his position as Minister of Defence on 12 May. Shamarin has led the Main Communications Directorate since 2021. One of his predecessors in this role, Colonel General Khalil Arslanov, was also charged with corruption in 2020. Corruption is deeply entrenched in the Russian Ministry of Defence, and more arrests will likely occur.