All articles tagged with #defence ministry
Ukraine’s Patrol Police chief Yevhen Zhukov resigned after footage showed officers fleeing Kyiv during a shooting that killed six and left eight injured; the interior minister called the behavior disgraceful and said an investigation into the officers and their superiors had been opened.
Russia has arrested two high-ranking officials, Lieutenant-General Vadim Shamarin and senior procurement official Vladimir Verteletsky, in a widening military corruption probe. The arrests, part of a broader anti-corruption drive, bring the total number of detained military and defence officials to five in a month. Shamarin is accused of taking bribes worth at least 36 million roubles, while Verteletsky faces charges of abuse of authority. The crackdown aims to eliminate corruption in defence spending amid ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
Ukraine's main intelligence and security agency uncovered a $40 million embezzlement scheme involving fraudulent arms procurement, implicating current and former senior officials of the defence ministry and heads of affiliated companies. The scheme involved the purchase of 100,000 mortar rounds for the Armed Forces, with the funds being transferred to a foreign commercial entity that never delivered the ammunition. The stolen funds have been seized, and one suspect has been detained, as Ukraine continues to grapple with corruption scandals within its defence ministry.
Ukraine's SBU security service has uncovered a corruption scheme in the country's military procurement of arms, totaling around $40 million, involving officials of the Defence Ministry and arms supplier Lviv Arsenal. The embezzlement, which included the purchase of 100,000 mortar shells, saw funds transferred abroad without any arms being provided. Five individuals have been served notices of suspicion, and one suspect has been detained while trying to cross the Ukrainian border. This revelation comes as Ukraine continues to battle endemic corruption while seeking EU membership.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has refused to display the state's tableau at the Bharat Parv event after it was not selected for the Republic Day parade, accusing the Centre of discrimination. The Defence Ministry invited Punjab to showcase its tableau at Bharat Parv, but Mann declined, stating that the state's martyrs cannot be showcased in a "rejected category." The Defence Ministry clarified that the selection process is thorough and unbiased, and Punjab's tableau did not align with this year's broader themes. The Punjab BJP chief's allegations that the tableau was rejected due to the inclusion of AAP leaders' photos were countered by the Defence Ministry's statement and AAP spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang.
Russian anti-aircraft units destroyed 26 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, according to the Russian Defence Ministry. The interceptions occurred in the evening, and there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Separately, Russian anti-aircraft units also downed at least 15 aerial targets near the town of Henichesk in the southern Kherson region. Crimea was seized by Russian troops from Ukraine in 2014.
Turkish military conducted air strikes in northern Iraq, targeting 13 Kurdish militant sites including caves, shelters, and storage facilities. The Defence Ministry stated that many militants were "neutralized" in the attack, which focused on the Hakurk, Gara, Qandil, and Metina regions.
The Bulgarian parliament has approved additional military aid for Ukraine, including the use of Bulgarian air space for F-16 training and the authorization for Ukrainian military personnel to transit or stay in Bulgaria for training purposes. The aid will involve providing defective and surplus missiles for air defense. The resolution aims to support Ukraine's sovereignty and capacity-building efforts. The pro-Kremlin minority party and the Bulgarian Socialist Party were against the resolution.
Israel's defence ministry has announced an evacuation plan for Kiryat Shmona, a town near the Lebanese border, due to security concerns. The town, with a population of over 20,000, is located just 2 km from the border fence.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with Andrei Troshev, a former senior commander of the Wagner mercenary group, who now works for the Russian defence ministry. Putin asked Troshev to oversee volunteer fighter units in Ukraine, indicating Russia's continued involvement in the conflict. The meeting is seen as an attempt by Putin to assert his authority following Wagner's mutiny earlier this year. Troshev, known by his alias Sedoi, is a respected veteran of Russia's wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya and was awarded the Hero of Russia Award for his role in supporting government forces in Syria. The Kremlin denies any involvement in the plane crash that killed Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and nine others in August.
Russia's Defence Ministry claims to have brought down three Ukrainian drones attempting to attack Moscow. No casualties were reported, and only minor damage occurred to two office buildings in the Moskva-Citi business district. This incident follows a similar attempted attack last week, and Russia has warned of harsh retaliatory measures against Ukraine. Flights to and from Moscow's Vnukovo airport were briefly suspended. Additionally, Russia claims to have thwarted an overnight attack on Crimea by 25 Ukrainian drones.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, accused the top brass of lying to President Vladimir Putin and the Russian people about the scale of Russian losses and setbacks in Ukraine. Prigozhin is resisting an order for mercenary groups like his to sign contracts with the Defence Ministry before July 1. He accused Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, of hiding Russia's "very serious losses on the front" from Putin. The Defence Ministry has ignored previous complaints.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed the Defence Ministry's order for mercenary groups fighting in Ukraine to sign contracts with it before July 1, despite the Wagner Group's refusal to do so. Putin also wants the law changed to legalise their activities. The new contract system would much more closely integrate Wagner and its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, into the Defence Ministry's command structure in a subordinate position.
The head of Russia's Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has said he is "not sure" if his mercenaries will continue to fight in Ukraine after a bitter standoff with the Defence Ministry. The ministry has set a contract deadline of July 1 for volunteer military units to sign up with it, but Prigozhin has refused to do so, citing poor leadership and tactics. Wagner fighters have been among Russia's most effective in Ukraine, but any attempt by Prigozhin to disengage from the war could be seen as treasonous by officials in Moscow.
Russia's Defence Ministry has signed a contract with the Akhmat group of Chechen special forces, a day after Russia's powerful mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin refused to do so. The signing followed an order that all "volunteer units" should sign contracts by July 1 bringing them under the control of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, as Moscow tries to assert its control over private armies fighting on its behalf in Ukraine.