Another Russian Defence Ministry official detained in Moscow

Lieutenant General Yuriy Kuznetsov, Head of the Main Personnel Department of the Russian Defence Ministry, has been detained in Moscow.

Source: TASS, a Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlet, with reference to a source in Russian law enforcement; Baza Telegram channel

Quote: "Lieutenant General Kuznetsov has been detained as a suspect in a criminal offence. The case is being investigated by the Main Military Investigation Department of the Russian Federation's Investigation Committee. The investigator has already appealed to the court to choose to remand the general in custody as a pre-trial restriction measure."

Details: It is not known what Kuznetsov is suspected of. The hearing on the pre-trial restriction measure took place on the same day; its results are also unknown. This is the second criminal case in the Russian Ministry of Defence in recent times.

One law enforcement official said that Kuznetsov's workplace and home had been searched. No other details of the criminal case were provided.

From 2010 to 2023, Kuznetsov served as the head of the 8th Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. This body is responsible for the protection of state secrets within the Ministry of Defence.

Kuznetsov was appointed Head of the Main Personnel Department of the Russian Defence Ministry in May 2023. Prior to that, he "served in various positions in the state secret protection service."

Background: 

• On 23 April, the Russian Federation reported the detention of General Timur Ivanov, Deputy Minister of Defence, on suspicion of taking a bribe. Ivanov was in charge of military construction projects.
• On 12 May, it was officially announced that Sergei Shoigu had been dismissed from the post of Defence Minister and appointed to the post of Secretary of the Russian Security Council to replace Nikolai Patrushev.

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