A senior military official responsible for tank maintenance in central Russia, Major General Denis Putilov, was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe in exchange for preferential treatment in government contracts. The Defense Ministry’s Central Military District accused Putilov of receiving 10 million rubles ($108,900) from a businessman to reduce oversight and provide advantages in contracts related to the repair and maintenance of combat vehicles valued at over 140 million rubles ($1.5 million) in 2023. Putilov faces charges of large-scale fraud, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
The Central Military District, based in Yekaterinburg and covering 29 regions, entrusted Putilov with managing the contracts in question. This case highlights the alleged corruption within the military service sector and raises concerns about ethical conduct in the procurement process. The arrest serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges in combating corrupt practices in Russia’s defense sector.