Russia detains defence minister’s ally for corruption

MOSCOW: A Russian court on Wednesday ordered one of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu’s deputies be kept in custody on suspicion of taking bribes.

Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov was detained on Tuesday at work by the Federal Security Service for accepting large bribes.

Moscow’s Basmanny District Court ordered Ivanov be kept in custody until June 23. Ivanov, 48, was shown in uniform standing in a glass cage in court, frowning slightly, footage released by the court service showed.

“The investigation believes that Ivanov entered into a criminal conspiracy with third parties, teamed up with them in advance to commit an organised crime by an organised group,” the court service said. It said the conspiracy was to receive “property and services on a particularly large scale during contract and sub-contract work for the ministry of defence.” Ivanov, who said he was innocent, faces 15 years in jail if convicted.