Jailed Former Russian Defense Official Released On Parole

A former Russian Defense Ministry official, who was sentenced less than four months ago in a high-profile corruption case, has been granted early parole.

The Sudogda District Court in Russia's western Vladimir region ordered the immediate release of Yevgenia Vasilyeva on August 25.

Vasilyeva was found guilty of fraud on May 8 in a complicated scheme involving Defense Ministry subsidiary Oboronservis. She was sentenced to five years in a penal colony.

Oboronservis sold off property cheaply, often to well-connected insiders.

As a result, the state was deprived of an estimated 3 billion rubles ($60 million).

Vasilyeva had worked as an aide to former Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who was also an early suspect in the case but later cleared.

Vasilyeva, 36, had pleaded not guilty. She had already spent 2 1/2 years under house arrest when the guilty ruling was announced in May.

Based on reporting by Interfax and rapsinews.com