Another Russian Defense Official Detained On Corruption Charges

Valery Muminjanov

Russia's Investigative Committee announced on September 2 that the deputy commander of Russia's Leningrad Military District has been detained on suspicion of accepting a 20 million ruble ($224,000) bribe, the latest in a string of corruption probes. Major General Valery Mumindzhanov, according to investigators, helped several companies win contracts to provide the military with clothes in exchange for payment while in charge of a department for defense procurement, the committee said in a statement. Several top military and Defense Ministry officials have been arrested on corruption charges since President Vladimir Putin dismissed close ally Sergei Shoigu as defense minister in May and replaced him with former First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov.