British intelligence: Biggest Scandal In 10 Years Hit Russian MoD

British intelligence: Biggest Scandal In 10 Years Hit Russian MoD

Shoigu's deputy violated Putin's key tenet.

The British intelligence believes that the Ivanov affair is the most serious scandal to hit the MOD since then Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov was dismissed in November 2012.

This is stated in the report of the Ministry of Defense of the UK, published on Thursday, April 25.

The report mentions, in particular, Ivanov’s income declaration for 2018 which allegedly indicated that Ivanov owned 22 cars.

According to the intelligence, reports of Ivanov's reported luxurious lifestyle “sit awkwardly” with Putin's call in February in his state of the nation address for a “new national elite” comprised of those occupiers participating in the war against Ukraine.

British intelligence also noted that Ivanov likely has long-standing ties to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, having served as deputy prime minister in the Moscow region government in 2012 when Shoigu was the region's governor.

Anatoly Serdyukov, whose resignation British intelligence mentions in its report, was dismissed due to a corruption scandal in the Russian Ministry of Defense on November 6, 2012. Then the media and investigative authorities reported the discovery of multibillion-dollar thefts from the department and the closely related commercial structure Oboronservis.