Knives Out 2.0: Russia’s Defense Ministry
For the past two years, there’s been something going on over at Russia’s military command: investigations targeting a growing number of deputy defense ministers and senior officers for corruption. The most prominent, linked to the construction of a Moscow-area military theme park, have targeted former deputies of Sergei Shoigu, who was pushed out as defense minister in 2024.
Vladimir Putin
President
Commander-in-chief
Removed as defense
minister on May 12, 2024
Sergei Shoigu
Head of Security Council
Gen. Valery Gerasimov
Chief of General Staff
Andrei Belousov
Defense Minister
Pavel Popov
Deputy Defense Minister (former General)
June 17, 2024
Fired as deputy defense minister
April 10, 2026
Sentenced to 19 years in prison for embezzlement
Ruslan Tsalikov
First Deputy Defense Minister
June 17, 2024
Fired as deputy defense minister
March 5, 2026
Charged with embezzlement, money laundering
Timur Ivanov
Deputy Defense Minister
June 17, 2024
Fired as deputy defense minister
July 1, 2025
Sentenced to 13 years in prison for bribery, embezzlement
Vladimir Shesterov
Major General
Head of Defense Ministry’s main directorate for innovation
July 17, 2025
Sentenced to 6 years for fraud, embezzlement
Yury Sadovenko
Colonel General
Deputy Defense Minister
May 20, 2024
Removed as deputy defense minister
December 25, 2025
Died, reportedly of heart attack
OTHERS
Yury Kuznetsov
Lieutenant General
Head of Defense Ministry’s main personnel directorate
May 14, 2024
Detained on bribery charges
Dmitry Bulgakov
General (retired), Deputy Defense Minister
Head of Defense Ministry’s logistics directorate
September 24, 2022
Fired/transferred as deputy minister
July 26, 2024
Under investigation for embezzling defense funds and corrupt military contracts
Vadim Shamarin
Lieutenant General (former), top aide to Gerasimov
Head of Defense Ministry’s communications directorate
May 23, 2024
Arrested on 36-million ruble bribery charge related to communication device contracts
April 17, 2025
Sentenced to 7 years in prison
Removed as defense
minister on May 12, 2024
Vladimir Putin
President
Commander-in-chief
Sergei Shoigu
Head of Security Council
Gen. Valery Gerasimov
Chief of General Staff
Andrei Belousov
Defense Minister
Pavel Popov
Deputy Defense Minister (former General)
June 17, 2024
Fired as deputy defense minister
April 10, 2026
Sentenced to 19 years in prison for embezzlement
Ruslan Tsalikov
First Deputy Defense Minister
June 17, 2024
Fired as deputy defense minister
March 5, 2026
Charged with embezzlement, money laundering
Timur Ivanov
Deputy Defense Minister
June 17, 2024
Fired as deputy defense minister
July 1, 2025
Sentenced to 13 years in prison for bribery, embezzlement
Vladimir Shesterov
Major General
Head of Defense Ministry’s main directorate for innovation
July 17, 2025
Sentenced to 6 years for fraud, embezzlement
Yury Sadovenko
Colonel General
Deputy Defense Minister
May 20, 2024
Removed as deputy defense minister
December 25, 2025
Died, reportedly of heart attack
OTHERS
Yury Kuznetsov
Lieutenant General
Head of Defense Ministry’s main personnel directorate
May 14, 2024
Detained on bribery charges
Dmitry Bulgakov
General (retired), Deputy Defense Minister
Head of Defense Ministry’s logistics directorate
September 24, 2022
Fired/transferred as deputy minister
July 26, 2024
Under investigation for embezzling defense funds and corrupt military contracts
Vadim Shamarin
Lieutenant General (former), top aide to Gerasimov
Head of Defense Ministry’s communications directorate
May 23, 2024
Arrested on 36-million ruble bribery charge related to communication device contracts
April 17, 2025
Sentenced to 7 years in prison