What is happening in Russia with the arrests of military personnel and officials?

The recent barrage of arrests of government and military officials in Russia over the past few months raises serious questions.

It began last month with the arrest of the Russian Deputy Defense Minister. The head of the Ministry’s Personnel Affairs Directorate was then brought to court. This week, two other senior military officials were arrested.

All face accusations of corruption, which they deny.

the frame

The new wave of arrests of people holding key positions in the state apparatus began before Vladimir Putin renewed the people’s confidence with five people.^the time. At that time, he also transferred his close aide and the country’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, to another position.

If one analyzes the reality in Russia, one will find the solution to why the state and other actors are detained

Immediately the scenario began to flare up, why would the Russian president make these moves, if there was something going on in the background, and mainly, if Putin would take over the Ministry of Defense under his supervision, because of the war with Ukraine.

How serious is corruption in Russia?

Over many decades, people in high positions have infrequently benefited and often placed themselves at the center of scandals. This is a common fact for Russia.

However, the opinion is expressed that this is exactly the purpose of the system. In other words, everyone must have a “skeleton in their closet” and, accordingly, the state must “hold them by the hand.” This, according to analysts, is the logic that prevails in Putin himself.

On the other hand, the war in Ukraine led (and continues to lead) to higher spending in Russia, and thus to higher levels of corruption. Putin took advantage of this particular situation in his purges.

Who were they arrested?

Former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was the first and the most senior to date.

He oversaw major military construction projects while receiving huge sums of money. These projects included rebuilding the damaged port of Mariupol in Ukraine.

In April, the State Investigative Committee designated him as a suspect in a bribery case. In the past, the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny also accused him of living a disproportionately wealthy life.

Ivanov at a joint military event with Putin

Since then, other arrests on bribery charges have included Major General Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the Defense Ministry’s Personnel Department, Major Ivan Popov, former Supreme Commander of Ukraine, and Major General Vadim Shamarin, deputy chief of the Military General Staff.

The fifth arrest came a few days ago. It was Vladimir Verteletsky, from the Defense Procurement Department. He was accused of causing damage of more than 70 million rubles to the public.

Why were these arrests made?

The time frame in which the arrests of administrative and military officials took place showed why they occurred.

A change of minister, an increase in military spending and a “change in policy” were the reasons behind the “curb” of waste and above all corruption.

Under the weight of high military spending, it is no longer possible for the regime to “turn a blind eye.”

After all, Moscow spends 6.7% of its GDP on military spending, a record rate in the post-Soviet era.

Opinions differ on the reasons that led to the “purge.” From a more political perspective, the new minister wanted to send a message that after assuming his duties, things would take a different turn.

What will happen next?

Analysts say that more arrests are not unlikely, as the new defense minister wants to show that “there is a price to be paid” for corruption in order to curb it.

However, this phenomenon in the Russian state is more than just an endemic. This can cause the entire system to collapse.

After all, again, according to experts, the continued wave of arrests and stigmatization of these people may lead them to resign, in a desperate attempt to remove the evidence incriminating them. This, they say, is not a scenario far from reality.