Turmoil in Russian defense ministry: Another top general arrested

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

The British Ministry of Defense 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 Defense 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 at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time 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 Defense official arrested on corruption charges, following Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov and Head of Human Resources Yuri Kuznetsov.

The statement said all these arrests have occurred since Sergei Shoigu was dismissed as Minister of Defense on May 12. 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 Defense.