Russia, Corruption | – They are not often caught red-handed

– It is rare to see Russian officials caught stealing from the huge defense budget, says Jakub Godzimirski to Nettavisen.

He is a researcher at the Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute (Nupi), where he has worked on Russian foreign and security policy for over 20 years.

Read more: Russia’s deputy defense minister arrested

On Tuesday evening, the news broke that the Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov had been arrested, charged with corruption. It is still unknown how much money he allegedly hid away. According to the Russian authorities, it is more than one million roubles, i.e. more than NOK 116,000.

Stay up to date on the war in Ukraine, listen to Nettavisen’s Ukrainapodden for free on Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

– Thoroughly corrupt

It is a known fact that Russia has a lot of corruption. The former opposition politician Alexei Navalny has revealed, among other things, how Ivanov’s immediate manager, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, owns properties that are far in excess of what he should be able to afford in view of Shoigu’s official salary.

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Navalny’s organization has also shown how Vladimir Putin himself has access to huge luxury homes that he could not possibly have afforded on his presidential salary.

– Russia is considered a thoroughly corrupt country. Putin has two conflicting ambitions, one is to “make Russia great again”, while at the same time being a kleptocracy. This regime fills its own pockets and those closest to it, says Godzimirski.

When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine broke out, there was a flood of images and videos of Russian military vehicles in poor condition, with, among other things, worn tires.

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– Back then, there were many who believed that Ukraine’s most important ally was corruption in the Russian defence. Timur Ivanov has received a lot of attention. He has often been referred to as one of the most wealthy officials in the Russian defense system, explains Godzimirski.

Construction manager

The now imprisoned Ivanov was responsible for the construction of new military facilities in the Russian defence, among other things he was responsible for the construction of a brand new church for the Russian defence.

– The arrest opens up many interpretations. Is it about the fight against corruption, or is this part of the power struggle around Putin? We know very little about it, and it is not certain that we will ever know that much more, believes the researcher.

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Godzimirski also says Ivanov may have provided himself with more public funds than was considered acceptable for an official of his level.

Stay up to date on the war in Ukraine, listen to Nettavisen’s Ukrainapodden for free on Spotify, or anywhere else you listen to podcasts.

Money and women

– He may have stepped on some toes he shouldn’t have stepped on. Where there is money and women in the picture, a lot of strange things happen, says Godzimirski, referring to Ivanov’s two ex-wives, known for extravagant lifestyles.

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According to Godzimirski, Timur Ivanov did not play an important role in the war in Ukraine.

– He was responsible for things that happen behind the front, so I don’t think that was the driving force here. It is possible that he has been arrested to set an example, and that Putin hopes and believes that this is a way of cracking down on corruption that the Russian population will like, Godzirmirski believes.

Timur Ivanov was remanded in custody on Wednesday until 23 June.