Former Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov has been arrested on corruption charges, Russian law enforcement authorities announced on Friday, with the army general now in a Moscow detention center. At 69, Bulgakov is the seventh high-ranking Defense Ministry official arrested since April amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The Investigative Committee confirmed his custody, and the FSB placed him in Lefortovo pre-trial detention center.
Accused of large-scale embezzlement, Bulgakov could face up to 10 years in prison. Allegedly involved in a scheme supplying poor-quality food to troops at inflated prices, he oversaw logistics before being replaced in a military reshuffle post-Ukraine invasion. Several other defense ministry officials have also faced arrests for various charges, including bribery and abuse of power, signaling a significant military purge.
With President Putin sacking his defense minister over handling criticism of the war, a new economic defense minister without military background took charge. The recent arrest of the defense construction head on abuse of power charges further highlights the scrutiny on military officials during the conflict.