Kremlin spokesman’s ally appears in court
A TOP Russian defence official known for his lavish holidays to St Tropez appeared in court yesterday after being arrested on corruption charges.
Timur Ivanov is the deputy and longtime ally of Sergei Shoigu, the Russian defence minister, and oversaw major military construction projects for over a decade, including lucrative contracts to rebuild Mariupol, the Ukrainian city destroyed by Moscow’s forces.
Despite never having served in the Russian army, a bespectacled Mr Ivanov appeared at the court in Moscow in full military uniform.
In an unusual move, the court’s press office did not alert journalists to the hearing and did not allow anyone into the room, except for its own photographer.
Mr Ivanov, 49, was arrested for two months pending an investigation into alleged bribery from contractors bidding for work for the defence ministry, investigators said. But the corruption allegations are actually a smoke-screen for treason charges against the official, two well-placed sources told Russia’s well-respected istories publication yesterday.
Vladimir Putin personally ordered
Mr Ivanov’s arrest after the security services showed the Russian president proof the minister was spying against Russia, one of the sources said.
The source added that “no one would have arrested” the official for mere bribery, which is endemic in Russia’s defence establishment.
The opulent, jet-setting lifestyle enjoyed by Mr Ivanov and his then wife, Svetlana Zakharova, who are old friends of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, has been an open secret in Russia for years. Mr Peskov yesterday dismissed the reports of treason charges as “speculation”, and said he had no further information.
Ms Zakharova reportedly divorced Mr Ivanov shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. However, Russian investigative journalists believe that the divorce was filed purely for legal reasons, in order to shield her from sanctions from the US and EU.
Mr Ivanov refused to respond to the allegations.