A military court in Moscow on April 18 fined a colonel from Russia's General Staff 40,000 rubles ($490) for demanding a washing machine from the chief of a local enlistment center responsible for recruiting soldiers for the ongoing war in Ukraine. Colonel Ivan Mertvishchev was found guilty of "attempted fraud." He was initially charged with extorting a bribe, for which he could have faced up to 12 years in prison. Mertvishchev was arrested in November 2022 as he received the washer from the officer, who had alerted the authorities about the deal. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Russian Colonel Fined For Demanding Washing Machine From Subordinate
Mertvishchev was arrested in November 2022 as he received the washer from the officer, who had alerted the authorities about the deal. (illustrative photo)