Moscow court imposes pre-trial detention on Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov

The judicial system of the Russian capital became the venue for a remarkable proceeding: Timur Ivanov, the Deputy Defense Minister of Russia, was suspected of corruption and now has to submit to the stringent regulations of pre-trial detention. The Basmanny Court in the Moscow district decreed that Ivanov remains incarcerated until June 23 while further investigations into the allegations take place. Ivanov is at the epicenter of a corruption scandal of notable magnitude, with allegations primarily concerning his acceptance of bribe money in exorbitant amounts. His responsibility for large-scale construction projects, including those in Mariupol which was destroyed during the war, only adds to the gravity of the accusations. Also included in the circle of detainees in this context is a businessman whose arrest was confirmed by the court and is said to have private connections with Ivanov. Ivanov himself denies the accusations brought against him. However, this is not the first time that Ivanov has been thrust into the public eye. Last year, the team of the deceased Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny accused the politician of unlawfully funding construction projects through ministry contractors. There were no reactions to this publication at the time. The career of Ivanov, who has served as the deputy to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu since 2016 and who was closely connected to him from his time as the head of the government of the Moscow region, might take a significant turn due to the current events. It was conveyed from Kremlin circles that Shoigu had been informed in advance about the incarceration of his confidante, suggesting that the decision was made in coordination.