UK intelligence assesses chances to eradicate corruption in Russian army

According to the briefing, on July 26, former Russian Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov was arrested on charges of corruption. Bulgakov served as the Deputy Defense Minister from 2008 to 2022.

Russian media report that the charges are related to the procurement of food supplies for military personnel, which were unfit for human consumption but were purchased by the Russian Ministry of Defense at inflated prices, allegedly in exchange for bribes to Bulgakov.

UK intelligence indicates that corruption is widespread in the Russian military-industrial complex and is generally tolerated within certain limits, as long as those involved have the necessary political patronage.

The full-scale war against Ukraine has led to a crackdown on corrupt practices, both to reduce budget losses during an expensive military campaign and because political patrons like former Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu have lost direct influence over procurement processes, the report says.

The UK Ministry of Defence says that while current Defense Minister Andrey Belousov is likely trying to limit corruption practices, it is highly unlikely that he will be able—or willing—to eradicate corruption in Russian defense spending.

Cleanup in Russian Defense Ministry

After Vladimir Putin began his fifth presidential term, he made some changes in the government. Notably, he dismissed Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, appointing him Secretary of the Security Council. Nikolai Patrushev, who had chaired the Security Council since 2008, became an aide to Putin.

Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was arrested in April on corruption charges, and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov was arrested on May 14 on suspicion of involvement in a bribery scheme. Additionally, in May, the Chief of the Main Communications Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin, was arrested for two months on a large bribery charge.