Russia arrests general in ongoing military corruption crackdown

Russian Major General Mirza Mirzaev has been arrested on bribery charges, marking a significant development in President Vladimir Putin's ongoing military purge. Mirzaev, deputy chief of logistics for the National Guard, allegedly extorted a defense contractor. The general reportedly threatened to cancel a 480 million ruble contract unless he received 140 million rubles. He is currently in custody until January 2025, as a criminal case has been opened against him. This arrest follows a series of high-profile detentions of military officials accused of corruption, including Major General Alexander Ogloblin and Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov. The crackdown appears aimed at addressing corruption within the military amid ongoing challenges in Ukraine.