Russian deputy chief of staff detained on suspicions of bribery: Media

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Russian deputy chief of staff was detained by authorities over suspicions of receiving a bribe, local media reports said on Thursday.

Vadim Shamarin, also the head of the army's Main Communications Directorate, was detained on Wednesday and taken to investigative authorities for interrogation, the Russian daily Izvestia reported.

The daily later reported that Shamarin was detained over suspicions of receiving a bribe "on an especially large scale."

The report came two days after the Russian state news agency TASS reported the arrest of Ivan Popov, the former commander of the 58th Army of the Russian Armed Forces, as part of a fraud case for a period of two months.

On the same day, TASS also reported Popov's lawyer declaring they would appeal the decision, expressing that he is "not guilty of anything, so he does not admit guilt."

The Russian Defense Ministry has yet to comment on the reports.

A crackdown on corruption and fraud has ensued within the Russian military over the past month, during which multiple military officials being arrested.