Top Russian General Arrested in Expanding Corruption Probe Amid Kremlin Defense Shake-Up

According to Saed News, Russian investigators have arrested Colonel General Viktor Strigunov, the former first deputy commander of the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya), over serious corruption allegations dating back to his tenure between 2020 and 2023. The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued Monday by the Russian Investigative Committee and was conducted in coordination with the Federal Security Service (FSB) and Rosgvardiya's internal security department.

Strigunov, who previously served within the Ministry of Internal Affairs before Rosgvardiya’s official formation in 2016, is accused of mismanaging public funds and receiving large bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative government contracts. The committee cited a key incident from 2014, when Strigunov allegedly oversaw a flawed construction project for a training center in the Kemerovo region. Despite being fully aware that the facility was structurally deficient and unfit for use, Strigunov allegedly instructed subordinates to proceed, resulting in the center's failure to open and financial damage exceeding 2 billion rubles (approximately $25 million).

Further charges allege that between 2012 and 2014, Strigunov accepted over 66 million rubles (roughly $840,000) in bribes from construction firms in return for helping them secure state contracts. If found guilty, he could face up to 15 years in prison and substantial financial penalties.

This high-profile case follows closely on the heels of the sentencing of former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, who was handed a 13-year prison term last week for embezzlement and corruption. One of Ivanov’s subordinates received a 12-year sentence in the same case.

The recent wave of arrests comes amid sweeping changes within Russia’s defense hierarchy, as the Kremlin appears to be intensifying efforts to rein in systemic graft within its armed forces. The moves are widely seen as part of a broader campaign to restore public trust and reinforce discipline in the military at a time of heightened geopolitical pressure.