Russia's ex-deputy defense minister handed 13-year sentence on corruption charges

Russia’s former deputy defense minister was convicted on Tuesday on charges of embezzlement and money laundering and handed a 13-year prison sentence in a high-profile case that exposed rampant military corruption widely blamed for Moscow’s military setbacks in Ukraine.

Timur Ivanov is the most visible figure in a far-ranging probe into alleged military graft that also targeted several other top officials close to former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Shoigu, a veteran official who had personal ties to President Vladimir Putin, survived the purges of his inner circle and was given the new high-profile post of secretary of Russia’s Security Council.

Ivanov, 49, was named deputy defense minister in 2016 and oversaw military construction projects, as well as property management, housing and medical support for the military. He was known for his lavish lifestyle that outraged many in Moscow just as the fighting in Ukraine exposed glaring deficiencies in Russian military organization and supplies that resulted in battlefield setbacks.

Ivanov, who has been in custody since his arrest in April 2024, was convicted by the Moscow City Court of embezzling 3.9 billion rubles (about $50 million), the charges that he denied. The court also confiscated his assets that included prized real estate and a collection of vintage cars.

Ivanov's lawyers said they would appeal the verdict.

Ivanov has been sanctioned by both the United States and the European Union for his role in Moscow’s military action in Ukraine.