A Russian major general, Alexander Ogloblin, has been detained on corruption charges following claims by his former superior. Ogloblin, once the head of Russia’s military communications, is now the latest high-ranking military figure to be arrested amid suspicions of a clampdown within Vladimir Putin’s administration.
According to Russia's Investigative Committee, Ogloblin is accused of accepting bribes worth 10 million rubles ($103,000) from a telecommunications company in exchange for defense ministry contracts, as reported by Kommersant.
Previously, Ogloblin had served a four-and-a-half-year sentence for embezzlement in a separate case but was released early after providing testimony against his former superior, Vadim Shamarin, then deputy chief of Russia’s General Staff. Ogloblin’s recent arrest followed Shamarin's own testimony, reportedly in a plea deal, implicating Ogloblin in a bribery scheme involving telecommunications contracts.
Shamarin allegedly received kickbacks from the manufacturer Perm Telephone Plant Telta, which he split with Ogloblin. The Ukrainian news outlet New Voice of Ukraine speculated that Shamarin’s testimony may have been motivated by revenge. The outlet further suggested that while former defense minister Sergei Shoigu has not been charged with corruption, he could still be implicated. Newsweek reached out to Russia's Investigative Committee and Defense Ministry for comments.
The British Ministry of Defense (MOD) commented on Wednesday that Ogloblin’s arrest signals a broader crackdown on current and former defense officials appointed by Shoigu, who now serves as Russia’s Security Council secretary.
John Foreman, a former British defense attache to Moscow and Kyiv, observed that the corruption probe by Russia's FSB intelligence agency has been advancing within the defense ministry for years. Foreman remarked, “I've always thought this was aimed at Shoigu, and the recent arrests suggest the noose is tightening.”
Shoigu, nearing his 70th birthday, is rumored to be under scrutiny, with Putin keeping him isolated and tightly controlled at the National Security Council. Meanwhile, Valery Gerasimov, the Russian forces commander in Ukraine, also turning 70 next year, appears secure in his role, with Putin showing no signs of removing him.
Andrei Soldatov, senior fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, noted that while the FSB has increased pressure on military officials, their arrests have focused on the defense ministry rather than active military leaders in Ukraine. The investigation has also led to the arrests of other officials, such as former deputy defense minister Pavel Popov and logistics commander Valery Mumindzhanov, both suspected of corrupt dealings in Ukraine’s conflict zone.
Additional arrests followed, including Timur Ivanov, deputy defense minister overseeing large construction projects, and Vladimir Verteletsky from the defense procurement department, who faced charges of abuse of office.
This wave of arrests, beginning just as Putin entered his fifth term and appointed a new defense minister, has sparked debate on whether it marks a power consolidation move or a turf war between Russia’s military and security services.
The MOD suggested that Russia’s intent is not to eradicate corruption but to curb it to a more manageable level, reducing its disruptive impact on the defense ministry’s operations.
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