Another top Russian general has been arrested on bribery charges. Here are key points:
- Russia’s deputy chief of the general staff, Vadim Shamarin , was arrested and charged with taking bribes.
- He is the fourth senior Russian military official detained since April.
- Last month, Russia’s defence minister of 12 years was replaced.
- Why are so many top Russian military leaders being fired or arrested? Is corruption being cleaned up?
Another General Detained
Lieutenant General Vadim Shamerkin was taken into custody by Russian authorities. He is accused of accepting bribes and illegal payments. Shamerkin is the deputy chief of Russia’s general staff, making him one of the highest-ranking officers arrested.
News reports show Shamerkin appearing in court in Moscow recently. He did not enter a plea and was ordered to be jailed while investigations continue. Shamerkin’s arrest follows several other senior military detentions over the past month.
Shaking Up the Leadership
In early May, President Vladimir Putin removed Russia’s long-time defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, from his position. Shoigu had served as defence chief for over 12 years. His replacement is Andrey Belousov, an economist with no military experience.
The shakeup was seen as an attempt to increase the Russian military’s effectiveness during the ongoing war in Ukraine. The Kremlin denied that Shoigu’s firing was part of a broader “purge” of leaders. However, the wave of high-profile arrests since then indicates significant changes underway.
Corruption Crackdown or Politics?
In addition to Shamerkin, three other top officials have been detained on fraud charges since April:
- A deputy defence minister
- The head of the defence ministry’s personnel department
- Another general from Russia’s general staff
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says no organized “campaign” is taking place. He stated the fight against corruption in Russia’s military is simply ongoing.
However, the timing and scale of the arrests appear to be more than just routine anti-corruption efforts. Some experts believe President Putin is looking to replace ineffective leaders after setbacks in Ukraine. The moves may also be an attempt to assert control over the military.
Power Struggle With Mercenary Boss
Last year, Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner private military group, openly criticized Russia’s defence leadership. He accused Minister Shoigu and others of incompetence and corruption related to the Ukraine war.
This public power struggle ended with Prigozhin’s Wagner forces briefly rebelling before being put down. At the time, Putin supported his defence officials over the mercenary boss.
But one year later, Putin has sidelined Shoigu and multiple generals. This reversal suggests that the Russian president recognized problems in his military’s leadership after all.
What It Means For Ukraine War Efforts
By removing many top generals and the defence minister, Putin seems to be trying to improve his military’s performance. The changes may reduce corruption and inefficiency, hampering Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine.
However, shuffling so many senior leaders simultaneously brings disruption risks and power struggles. Only time will tell if Putin’s shakeup helps or hurts Russia’s fortunes on the battlefield.
Will Putin’s new military leaders be more effective in the Ukraine invasion? Or will the chaos of so many sudden changes further undermine the Russian war efforts? The massive overhaul leaves many unanswered questions.
