Putin’s Military Shake-up Continues as Fourth Defense Official Jailed for Bribery

Following President Putin's recent military leadership shake-up, the arrest of Lt. Gen. Vadim Shamarin marks a significant development in Russia's top defense ranks. On Wednesday, a Moscow military court ordered General Shamarin to be jailed for two months, suspected of "large-scale" bribery. Russian authorities announced that he could face a 15-year prison sentence. As the former deputy head of the general staff, General Shamarin was responsible for overseeing the communications directorate.

The detention of General Shamarin comes amidst a wave of high-profile arrests following Putin's appointment of the new defense minister, Andrei R. Belousov, earlier this month. This move demonstrates Putin's commitment to revamping the military leadership in the wake of the Ukraine invasion over two years ago.