Timur Ivanov, a Russian deputy defence minister, has been detained on suspicion of bribe-taking.
The Guardian reports that if found guilty, the minister, who has been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union, faces up to 15 years in jail.
The investigative committee reported his detention on Tuesday without offering any details. However, the committee said he was suspected of taking a huge bribe.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ivanov’s detention had been presented to President Vladimir Putin while Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had been informed before his detention.
Forbes magazine listed Ivanov as one of the wealthiest men in Russia’s security structure.
