Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was detained for 2 months

According to Tass and Reuters, the Moscow court today (April 25) said that Sergei Borodin – a close associate who investigators believe is an accomplice of Mr. Ivanov and Alexander Fomin – the company’s co-founder building Olimpsitistroy, suspected of bribing Mr. Ivanov, was also arrested.

Deputy Minister Ivanov’s case is the biggest scandal in many years for the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Tass news agency said that Mr. Ivanov and Borodin were accused of accepting large bribes. According to the investigation agency, they conspired to commit crimes with a third party to receive bribes when performing contract work for the Ministry of National Defense. A source from the law enforcement agency said that Mr. Borodin is a friend of Deputy Defense Minister Ivanov and that his company is implementing defense contracts for the military agency.

Currently, Mr. Ivanov denies accepting bribes. According to lawyers, evidence of money being transferred to Mr. Ivanov as a bribe does not exist. During the investigation, Deputy Defense Minister Ivanov will be detained at Lefortovo detention camp.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said President Putin was briefed about Mr. Ivanov’s arrest and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu received advance notice. Commenting on the information that Mr. Ivanov was suspected of treason, Mr. Peskov denied and said: “It’s all speculation.”

Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was born in Moscow in 1975. In 1997, he graduated from Lomonosov Moscow State University and in 2004 from the International Academy of Management and Marketing. He has an advanced degree in economics.

In 1999-2012, he worked in the fuel and energy sector. In 2013-2016, Mr. Ivanov was the head of Oboronstroy, a company that builds housing for the military as well as other strategic military facilities. In May 2016, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense responsible for asset management, military accommodation, housing and medical support, and defense procurement.