MOSCOW – Russian investigators have charged former first deputy defence minister Ruslan Tsalikov with embezzlement, money laundering, and bribe-taking, marking the latest prosecution in a sweeping crackdown on corruption within the country’s military leadership.
The state Investigative Committee announced the charges Thursday against Tsalikov, who held the role from 2015 until 2024 amid a wave of arrests targeting generals, deputy ministers, and civilian defence officials.
Tsalikov served under Sergei Shoigu, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin who was ousted as defence minister in 2024 and reassigned as secretary of Russia’s Security Council. Another ex-deputy, Timur Ivanov, drew a 13-year prison sentence in July 2025 for similar graft.
The case underscores deepening scrutiny of Moscow’s defence establishment, with investigators vowing to root out abuses as Russia presses its military campaigns abroad.