Russia's ex-defence minister sentenced to 13-year in prison on graft charges

Moscow, Jul 1 (PTI) A Russian court on Tuesday sentenced former deputy defence minister Gen Timur Ivanov to 13 years in prison on the charges of embezzlement and money laundering.

The Moscow City Court also imposed a fine of 100 million rubles (about INR 10 crore) on him and stripped him of his military rank, decorations and awards.

Ivanov, 49, was arrested in April 2024.

At the request of the state prosecution, the case was heard in camera as it involved confidential secret information .

Ivanov pleaded not guilty and his lawyers are going to appeal in the higher court.

The court also turned over 65 million rubles and 13 thousand euros cash confiscated from Ivanov during the search at his office and residence to the state's treasury. His movable and immovable property, totalling over 2 billion rubles, remains attached.

Independent Interfax agency reported that in 2015, Ivanov, when he was heading defence construction organisation Oboronstroy, formed an organised group, which included, several other people, to steal part of the funds actually allocated for the purchase of ferries.

As the investigation established, through a chain of companies under their control, the defendants stole 216 million rubles, which they then laundered, in particular, through fictitious agreements for the provision of consulting and advisory services, including with foreign legal entities.

The second episode of misappropriation is related to the theft of 3.9 billion rubles from Interkommertsbank under various fictitious agreements for the purchase and exchange of currency through their transfer to the accounts of legal entities controlled by the defendants in other banks.

Another case of bribery totalling approximately 1.3 billion rubles is also being investigated against Ivanov.

According to investigators, the illegal rewards were received for the actions and patronage of companies, which in return carried out free construction and repair work on sites owned, as investigators believe, by the former deputy minister. He has denied charges in this case also.

Ivanov was appointed Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation in May 2016, Interfax reported. PTI VS SCY SCY