MOSCOW (AP) — A former Russian defense official has been remanded in custody on corruption charges after a court rejected an appeal against his arrest, state media reported Wednesday.
Former Deputy Defense Minister General Dmitry Bulgakov was detained in Moscow last month pending investigation and trial, Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement. He is part of several recent high-profile military arrests.
“The court examined the appeal of Bulgakov’s defense and decided to leave the appeal unanswered and leave the decision of the first instance unchanged,” state news agency Tass reported, citing the judge’s decision.
According to Tass, Bulgakov is accused of large-scale embezzlement. He reportedly oversaw the creation of a system to provide Russian troops with low-quality food rations at inflated prices. If found guilty, Bulgakov faces up to 10 years in prison.
Bulgakov was deputy defense minister from 2008 until September 2022, when he was dismissed. He was responsible for logistics at the time and although the ministry had said he would take another job, the move was seen as punishment for deficiencies in support operations in Ukraine.
His ouster came shortly after Kiev quickly gained territory in a counteroffensive in the northeastern region of Kharkov.
In recent months, seven senior military officials have been arrested on suspicion of fraud, bribery or abuse of power. One of them is Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov, who was arrested in April for bribery and later dismissed.
Lower-ranking officers have also been arrested on suspicion of fraud, including Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Frolov, a decorated commander of an airborne brigade, last week.
