Kathrine Frich
Several senior officials connected to Shoigu have recently become the focus of corruption investigations.
Sergei Shoigu was considered one of Vladimir Putin’s most trusted allies inside the Russian government.
The long-serving defense minister worked closely with the Russian president and remained a central figure in the country’s military leadership throughout much of the war in Ukraine.
Former deputy detained
Russian security services have detained Ruslan Tsalikov, the former first deputy defense minister.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, cited by RIA Novosti, a criminal case has been opened against the 59-year-old official over accusations including creating a criminal organization, money laundering and bribery.
Investigators say Tsalikov faces 12 counts of embezzlement, along with additional charges linked to laundering stolen funds and accepting bribes.
Authorities claim the alleged crimes involved the theft of state budget funds between 2017 and 2024, when Tsalikov held senior positions within the Defense Ministry.
Long-time Shoigu ally
Tsalikov was widely seen as one of Sergei Shoigu’s closest associates.
His career alongside Shoigu began in 1994 in Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, where he gradually rose through the ranks to become first deputy minister.
When Shoigu was appointed defense minister in 2012, Tsalikov moved with him to the Defense Ministry and later became first deputy minister, a position he held from 2015 to 2024.
Media role and investigation
Investigative outlet Project previously described Tsalikov as Shoigu’s “general of the public relations service,” noting his role in shaping the defense minister’s image in Russian media.
According to authorities, the case against him was built using materials gathered by the FSB, the Investigative Committee and anti-corruption units of the Interior Ministry.
Russian news agency TASS reported that Tsalikov had also appeared as a witness in the earlier corruption case against another former deputy defense minister, Timur Ivanov.
Expanding corruption probes
Tsalikov left the Defense Ministry in 2024, about a month after Shoigu stepped down from his post.
There were later attempts to appoint him as a senator representing Tyva, Shoigu’s home region, but the plan was not successful.
He is now the fourth former deputy of Shoigu to face prosecution since 2024 as Russian investigators expand corruption cases within the Defense Ministry.
Sources: RIA Novosti, TASS, Digi24
