Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Timur Ivanov, has been implicated in a significant bribery case involving an amount approximating 1 billion rubles.
This development was disclosed by Ivanov's lawyer, Murad Musaev, who informed reporters of the charges on Wednesday, as reported by Interfax.
The alleged bribe relates to the costs of labor and materials connected with several high-profile construction projects. Specifically, Ivanov is accused of receiving bribes for overseeing the renovation of the historic S. Volkonskaya - A.K. von Mecca city estate in Moscow and for the construction of the Pankratovo estate in the Tver region.
The Kommersant newspaper has detailed that the bribe amounted to 1.185 billion rubles (approximately $12.8 million), signifying the cost of services rendered for these extensive renovations and constructions.
Responding to queries from Interfax, Musaev confirmed that Ivanov has indeed been charged with receiving this hefty sum as a bribe.
Despite these allegations, Musaev has stated that Ivanov does not formally or actually own the real estate properties involved in the case.
The scandal has led to Ivanov being temporarily removed from his official duties as the investigation continues. This case marks one of the highest-profile corruption allegations within the Russian military establishment in recent times.
