Russia's well-connected deputy defense minister Timur Ivanov faces accusations of treason it has been reported, following his arrest in the highest-profile corruption scandal in Russia for years. Ivanov, 48, an official responsible for military infrastructure projects, appeared in his uniform behind a glass cage in Moscow's Basmanny Court on Wednesday charged with bribe-taking "on a particularly large scale," the court's press service said. He could face 15 years in prison.
His arrest has sparked speculation about whether it might signal a purge among the Moscow elite, especially given his close relationship with defense minister , and Kremlin spokesman . The independent Russian news outlet Real Stories said that the true reason for Ivanov's arrest was "high treason," citing two sources close to the FSB. "A bribe is for the public.
So far, they don't want to talk publicly about treason—it's a big scandal," one source told the outlet. A second source said that Putin "gave the command after being convinced it was about treason," adding that "no one would detain Ivanov for corruption." However, Ivanov's lawyer, Murad Musayev, told state news agency RIA Novosti, that his client was not being accused of treason.
"There are no other accusations, except for the announced accusation of bribery," he said. has contacted the court for comment. Independent Russian media outlets have alleged that Ivanov and his family had acquired vast wealth through kickbacks on contracts he agreed at .
