Military corruption has abruptly become unacceptable amidst the wartime environment in President Putin's Russia.

 

Russia’s war in Ukraine has become a potent anti-corruption effort, particularly within the Ministry of Defense. To ensure that the nation's growing military and security budget translates into more soldiers, weapons, and supplies on the front lines, the Kremlin has initiated a vigorous crackdown—removing officials with lavish lifestyles or those critical of military leadership.

Last month, President Vladimir Putin reassigned his long-serving defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, to head Russia’s national security council. Replacing Shoigu, Putin appointed former economy minister Andrei Belousov, instructing him to manage the defense budget "sparingly yet effectively."

More notably, since April, five top officials, including a deputy defense minister, have been arrested, signaling that the Kremlin will not tolerate either extravagance or disloyalty during wartime.

Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, the highest-ranking official arrested, led an opulent lifestyle, typical of Russia's elite but unattainable on a public salary.

Ivanov's penchant for Western luxuries clashed with Putin’s push for a new ideology rooted in traditional values and opposition to Western permissiveness. Ivanov, who previously led the military construction group Oboronstroi and then served as deputy defense minister, is accused of accepting substantial bribes and committing fraud. He oversaw rebuilding projects in Mariupol, a Ukrainian city heavily bombed by Russia.

Ivanov's luxurious lifestyle included partying with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and other elite Russians, owning homes filled with rare antiques, and taking extravagant vacations in St. Tropez, where he allegedly spent nearly $1.4 million from 2013 to 2018 on villas, yachts, and a Rolls-Royce, as revealed by the Anti-Corruption Foundation founded by the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

In response to soaring military and security expenditures, projected to rise to 8.7% of the total economic output this year, Putin has called for greater efficiency. The Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Investigative Committee have established a special task force to combat military corruption, with more arrests anticipated, according to the Russian newspaper Kommersant. Despite Putin's recent emphasis on anti-corruption, analysts see no fundamental shift in his regime's kleptocratic nature, including patronage of loyal oligarchs and security officials.

"Everyone — everyone — must work as if we are on the front line," Putin demanded at a Council for Strategic Development and National Projects meeting on May 29. "Everyone must act as mobilized personnel; this is the only way to achieve our goals," he added, emphasizing that the main objectives for the country's future are addressed on the front line.

On February 19, Putin ordered the FSB to investigate corruption in defense procurement and state projects. In April, he urged the Interior Ministry to intensify the fight against corruption, which he said was "poisoning our society" and "stealing the money needed for the country's defense."

High-level corruption has been intrinsic to Russia and used as a means of political control, said Kirill Shamiev, a military analyst with the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Corruption charges can be used to remove individuals when necessary," he explained.

Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation obtained six years of emails from Ivanov's second wife, Svetlana Maniovich, revealing elite, champagne-soaked parties and vacations, and invoices for luxury goods. Ivanov divorced Maniovich after the Ukraine invasion and formed a household with Maria Kitaeva, a former TV host, who gave birth to his fifth child in January.

Maniovich’s emails included a video showing Peskov wearing a Richard Mille watch, covered by Ivanov, which was viewed over 9 million times. Peskov did not respond to questions from The Washington Post about the incident and the anti-corruption drive.

The Anti-Corruption Foundation reported that construction contractor Olimpsitistroi offered Ivanov luxury materials as kickbacks. Ivanov's case is based on these bribes, according to Russian media. His lawyer hinted that the foundation's reports led to Ivanov's arrest.

Other arrests include Lt. Gen. Yuri Kuznetsov, Lt. Gen. Vadim Shamarin, Vladimir Verteletsky, and Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, with charges ranging from accepting bribes to large-scale fraud.

The reassignment of Shoigu underscores the importance Putin places on loyalty. The arrests serve to instill fear and respect, according to analyst Shamiev, and shift blame for war failures away from Putin himself.

Dimitri Minic, an expert on Russia’s military at the French Institute of International Relations, believes the arrests aim to maximize military resources but also settle political scores and signal infighting for control of resources.

Despite investigations by the Anti-Corruption Foundation, many top generals with suspiciously luxurious lifestyles remain uncharged.

Peskov denied any purge or anti-corruption campaign, stating that the fight against corruption is a consistent and ongoing effort.