Another top Russian Defense Ministry official is arrested on bribery charges amid Kremlin shake-up

The Investigative Committee, Russia's top law enforcement body, said in a statement Tuesday that chief of the ministry's main personnel directorate Lt. Gen. Yury Kuznetsov was arrested on the charges of bribery and placed in custody pending investigation and trial.

A second senior Russian defense official was arrested on bribery charges, officials said Tuesday, following President Vladimir Putin's Cabinet shake-up that hinted at further purges.

Lt. Gen. Yury Kuznetsov, aged 55, the head of the Defense Ministry’s main personnel directorate, was arrested during a raid on his suburban Moscow villa early Monday, Russian media reported. He faces bribery charges and is detained pending investigation and trial, according to Russia's Investigative Committee.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed removing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from his post. Putin nominated First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov for the role.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed removing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from his post. Putin nominated First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov for the role.

Kuznetsov is accused of accepting an "exceptionally large bribe," punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The committee alleges he received the bribe while serving as head of the military General Staff's directorate responsible for preserving state secrets, a role he held for 13 years.

During the raid, Federal Security Service (FSB) agents broke into his home while he slept, seizing gold coins, luxury items, and over 100 million rubles (just over $1 million) in cash, reports said. His wife, who previously worked in Defense Ministry structures, was also interrogated.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, center, gestures as he waits to attend a ceremony inaugurating Vladimir Putin as President of Russia at the Kremlin in Moscow,

On Sunday, Putin reshuffled his Cabinet, appointing Andrei Belousov as defense minister to replace Sergei Shoigu, who had held the position for over a decade. Putin named Shoigu secretary of Russia's Security Council, replacing Nikolai Patrushev.

Patrushev, a prominent member of Putin’s inner circle, now serves as a presidential aide, overseeing Russian shipbuilding industries. The shake-up has sparked speculations about the future of Shoigu’s close associates in the Defense Ministry under Belousov.

n this undated photo distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Russian Lt. Gen. Yury Kuznetsov is seen poseing for an official photo.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, center, gestures as he waits to attend a ceremony inaugurating Vladimir Putin as President of Russia at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Shoigu’s deputy, Timur Ivanov, was arrested last month on bribery charges, fueling rumors of an impending dismissal. The shake-up aims to synchronize the defense sector with the broader economy and tighten control over military spending amid corruption allegations in top military ranks.

Belousov, addressing parliament, outlined plans to integrate the defense sector into the national economy while optimizing military spending and increasing efficiency. He credited Shoigu for modernizing the military but stressed the need to achieve Russia's goals in Ukraine with minimal casualties.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is driven along Red Square in an Aurus car during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is driven along Red Square in an Aurus car during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2024, marking the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II

The shake-up and arrests have raised concerns, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed suggestions that they would disrupt the military or impact events in Ukraine.