A Russian court sentenced a former top general to seven years prison on Thursday for taking bribes worth over $400,000, the latest conviction of a military official in Moscow’s anti-corruption drive.

Vadim Shamarin, the former deputy head of Russia’s General Staff, was arrested in May 2024 on allegations of giving inflated defence contracts to a telephone manufacturer between 2019 and 2023 in exchange for cash.

Authorities have stepped up anti-graft efforts since Russian President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term, in part because of anger at funds being misspent while thousands of soldiers fight in Ukraine.

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Putin’s removal of several military figures, including former defence minister Sergei Shoigu last year, was seen as a purge of Russia’s military establishment following setbacks in the Ukraine offensive.

Video footage posted by Russian news outlets showed Shamarin, 53, being escorted through Moscow’s Garrison Military Court ahead of his sentencing, his expression glum.

In addition to seven years in prison, the court also confiscated 36 million rubles ($437,000) from him, the RIA news agency reported.

Shamarin’s lawyer, Vladimir Shelupakhin, told the TASS news agency he was ready to atone for his crime by fighting in Ukraine, an option afforded to thousands of convicts since Moscow’s offensive began in February 2022.

“If it is approved, Vadim Shamarin will go as a regular fighter,” Shelupakhin said.

Russian prosecutors have charged more than a dozen military officials and defence sector workers since last year, many of whom were accused of syphoning off public money for personal gain.

Several officials are yet to be sentenced, including former deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov, who is charged with embezzling 3.2 billion rubles ($38.3 million) from a Moscow-based bank.

AFP