FSB reports that senior officials arrested for alleged budget theft in Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia

A group of anonymous “high-ranking” officials have been arrested on suspicion of stealing approximately 60 million rubles ($6.7 million) from the budget of the Russian Karachay-Cherkess Republic, state media TASS reported on June 11, citing the press office of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). .

It was the latest in a string of corruption cases in Russia that have reached the highest levels of the country’s security and military apparatus.

According to the FSB, an “organized group” of people, which included government officials and law enforcement agencies, allegedly stole money from a state-funded agricultural development program in Karachay-Cherkessia.

The Karachay-Cherkess Republic is located in the Russian North Caucasus region, bordering Georgia to the south.

The FSB did not provide further details about the suspects or the case, but said that criminal proceedings had been initiated in connection with financial fraud.

In April, now former deputy minister of defense Timur Ivanov was detained on charges of bribery, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was transferred he replaced the head of the country’s Security Council on May 13 Nikolai Patrushev.

lieutenant general Yuri Kuznetsovhead of the personnel department of the Russian Ministry of Defense, was detained on May 13.

At the end of May, Major General Ivan Popovformer commander of the 58th Army of Russia, was arrested on charges of fraud.

In connection with this, Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and head of the Main Communications Directorate, was detained on suspicion of accepting a large bribe.