Senior Russian protection official reportedly newest to be charged in widening corruption investigation

Russian authorities arrested a senior defense official who has been accused of accepting bribes of over $100,000 from a telecommunications company as an inducement to secure lucrative military contracts.

The recent arrest of Maj. Gen. Alexander Oglobin is an indication that the Kremlin continues to “enthusiastically” pursue corruption charges against former and serving military officials, British intelligence officials said Wednesday.

Gen. Oglobin was previously sentenced to 4½ years in prison in February 2022 on a separate embezzlement charge. He was granted early release after agreeing to testify against his former boss in the Ministry of Defense, UK intelligence officials said on X in their latest assessment of the battlefield in Ukraine.

The targets of the corruption investigations in Russia held leading positions in the Ministry of Defense when it was under the control of ousted Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, U.K. officials said.

Despite the high-profile arrests, eradicating corruption within the military establishment doesn’t appear to be the ultimate goal of the Russian government’s campaign. British analysts said.

“This behavior is fundamental to the functioning of the regime,” they said on X. “Instead, Russian authorities are likely seeking to limit corruption to more manageable levels that have a less dramatic impact on the functioning of the department.”