Russia opens fraud case against former deputy defense minister – JURIST

Russia's Investigative Committee on Thursday opened a fraud case against former Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Popov. On the same day, the Garrison Military Court, in a decision by Judge Andrey Tolkachevo, ordered him to be remanded in custody until October 29.

According to Svetlana Petrenko, a representative of the Investigative Committee, Popov enriched himself at the expense of the organization while he was in charge of the military-oriented Patriot Park from 2021 to 2024. He allegedly acted jointly with the park's directors and the deputy head of the Main Directorate for Innovations in the Russian Defense Ministry.

“In addition, through his subordinates, he forced the heads of commercial organizations that had contractual relations with Patriot Park to carry out construction and installation work on his estate free of charge. After the construction of the house and the improvement of the site, Popov continued to provide technical maintenance and upkeep of his land plot of about 3 hectares at the expense of the park,” Petrenko explained.

Popov is a retired army officer who served as Deputy Minister of Defense from 2013 to 2024. He has also held other positions, including head of the Civil Defense Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations from 2004 to 2008 and Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations from 2008 to 2013. He also holds the rank of General of the Reserve Army.

After the meeting, Popov's lawyer Igor Dyukin said that the former minister had not admitted guilt. If convicted, Popov faces up to ten years in prison.