According to law enforcement authorities, the head of the Russian military’s theme park and a high-ranking defense ministry official have been arrested on suspicion of embezzling public funds. This incident is the latest in a series of detentions as part of an expanding military purge that started earlier this year.
Investigators revealed that Vyacheslav Akhmedov, director of Patriot Park, and Major General Vladimir Shesterov were implicated in the misappropriation of public funds designated for the operation and maintenance of Patriot Park and its exhibition center.
Patriot Park, situated in Kubinka, about 63 kilometers (39 miles) west of Moscow, is a military-themed park and exhibition center featuring interactive displays and weaponry. The park also includes live-firing ranges and a grand Orthodox cathedral dedicated to the Russian armed forces.
In early July, police interrogated Akhmedov and conducted searches at Patriot Park as part of an investigation into the alleged theft of over 40 million rubles ($471,000) from state contracts. The exact role of Shesterov in relation to the theme park remains unclear.
Both men will face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of fraud.
RIA Novosti, a state-run news agency, reported—citing anonymous law enforcement sources—that several other employees of Patriot Park have also been detained, though it is not clear whether they face criminal charges.
Former Deputy Minister Timur Ivanov, who managed the construction of Patriot Park, was arrested in April on charges of accepting 1 billion rubles ($12.2 million) in bribes.
Ivanov is widely regarded as a close associate of Sergei Shoigu, who was removed from his role as defense minister in May.
