Russian general detained amid Defence Ministry shake-up

Russian media reports that General Yuri Kuznetsov, the head of the Main Personnel Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense, has been detained amid suspicions of criminal activity. The Investigative Committee handles the investigation, which includes searches of Kuznetsov's home and workplace.

General Yuri Kuznetsov has been taken into custody on suspicion of a crime, as stated by the Russian state news agency TASS, referencing sources within the security services. The exact nature of the allegations against the military officer has not been made public. However, his residence and workplace were subjected to searches.

"Lieutenant General General Kuznetsov was detained as a suspect in a criminal offense. The case is being investigated by the Main Military Investigation Department of the Russian Investigative Committee" a source told TASS.

This news comes a day after Vladimir Putin enacted changes within the Russian Ministry of Defense, which saw the former head, Sergei Shoigu, dismissed and reassigned.

On May 13th, the 235th military garrison court in Moscow held a session to deliberate on applying direct restraint measures to Yuri Vasilyevich Kuznetsov - as the independent Russian news platform Meduza reported. The outcome of this session remains undisclosed.

Before Yuri Kuznetsov's arrest, state-supporting Telegram channels circulated news. The "Rybar" channel suggested that investigators were particularly interested in the general's former role as head of the service for protecting state secrets.

In May 2023, Vladimir Putin decreed Kuznetsov's appointment as the chief of the Main Personnel Directorate at the Ministry of Defense - as reminded by "Kommersant," an independent Russian newspaper. The general still appears on the ministry's official website. The Russian Ministry of Defense notes that Kuznetsov "served in various positions in the state secret protection service."