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The arrest of Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov on suspicion of corruption deals a serious blow to his longtime mentor, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The political elite of the aggressor country is waiting for inevitable changes in power. The Financial Times writes about it.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, after his so-called "re-election" for a new term, is expected to present a new cabinet for approval, provoking a behind-the-scenes power struggle.
“Amid this struggle, Shoigu's team initially appeared to be on the rise, aided by Russia's recent offensive in Ukraine and the death of field commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was Shoigu's staunchest critic and opponent. But the arrest of Ivanov, the highest-ranking official detained since 2016, marked a shift in Shoigu's fortunes, especially given the highly visible manner in which the deputy minister was brought to court," the publication notes.
According to the article, Putin values loyalty above all else, so Shoigu has survived in his role so far, despite the setbacks at the front in the first weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the fact that the so-called "special operation" dragged on for a third year instead of the expected three days.
The Financial Times also draws attention to the fact that earlier the head of the Russian Ministry of Defense withstood fierce criticism from the head of the private military company (PMC) "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin, who last year attempted a mutiny against Shoigu and other military leaders.
But Putin, who is known to be wary of any faction within his elite gaining too much power, seems to have concluded that the Kremlin needs to find a new way to balance the Shoigu power center and the Defense Ministry now that Prigozhin is no longer playing that role. role," the publication writes.
At the same time, Ivanov's extravagant lifestyle made him an easy target, despite the fact that Putin is not particularly concerned about corruption.
“As the war drags on, this power-hungry and money-hungry clique is under increasing pressure. And sometimes someone is chosen to "take the blame for what's going on," said General Jim Hockenhull, head of the British Army's Strategic Command.
We will remind that on April 24, the Basmanny Court of Moscow sent the Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia Timur Ivanov, who is accused of receiving a particularly large bribe, to the pre-trial detention center.
Timur Ivanov has been the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation since 2016. Before that, for three years he headed the joint-stock company "Oboronbud", subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. Previously, he also worked as the deputy head of the government of the Moscow region and at enterprises of the Russian fuel and energy complex.
According to the Russian mass media, Ivanov participated in the creation of the main temple of the armed forces, the Patriot Park, the Skhidny cosmodrome, and after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine - in the projects of the Russian Federation in occupied Mariupol.
