Putin dismisses commander of Russian Ground Forces

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Colonel-General Vladimir Chirkin, Commander of the Russian Ground Forces, on December 2. The president’s dismissal of the general has only just been published, Kommersant reports.

Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that he had no information about the dismissal.

Kommersant says that Chirkin was the Commander of the Central Military District in December 2010 – April 2012 and may have been receiving bribes in return for selling Defense Ministry building at low prices.

The investigation into Chirkin’s activities started in October 2013. Investigators requested Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu to dismiss Chirkin to prevent him from pressurizing witnesses. The general’s case is considered a serious crime and will not be affected by the amnesty that parliament announced yesterday.

Lieutenant-General Sergey Istrakov, Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces, is the Acting Commander of the Ground Forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed Colonel-General Vladimir Chirkin, Commander of the Russian Ground Forces, on December 2. The president’s dismissal of the general has only been published recently, Kommersant reports.Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that he had no information about the dismissal.Kommersant says that Chirkin was the Commander of the Central Military District in December 2010 – April 2012 and could be receiving bribes for selling buildings of the Defense Ministry under exaggeratedly low prices.The investigation of Chirkin’s activities started in October 2013. Investigators requested Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu to dismiss Chirkin to prevent him from pressurizing witnesses. The general’s case is considered a grave crime and will not be affected by the amnesty the parliament announced yesterday.Lieutenant-General Sergey Istrakov, Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces, is the Acting Commander of the Ground Forces.