Ex-Russia deputy defence minister gets 19 years in Patriot Park corruption case

Former Russian deputy defence minister Pavel Popov has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for corruption by a military court in Moscow, according to Russian state media.

The case against Popov, who was arrested in 2024, relates to financial irregularities linked to Patriot Park, a vast military-themed complex outside Moscow often described as Russia’s “military Disneyland”.

Patriot Park, a flagship project of former defence minister Sergei Shoigu, was conceived as a patriotic showcase aimed at fostering national pride among younger generations. The complex features displays of Soviet and Russian weaponry, along with a firing range, air base, museums, conference facilities and the khaki-coloured Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces, known for its mosaics depicting Soviet and Russian soldiers.

President Vladimir Putin had personally donated money towards commissioning the cathedral’s main icon, according to the Kremlin.

Investigators found that Popov, who was responsible for the park’s development and maintenance, diverted funds for renovations at his private properties in the Moscow region. According to state news agency RIA Novosti, more than 25 million roubles (USD 324,000) was embezzled from the park’s budget.

Popov pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer said he would appeal the verdict, state news agency TASS reported. In addition to the prison sentence, the court imposed a fine of 85 million roubles (USD 1.1 million).

Popov was charged alongside the park’s director and Maj. Gen. Vladimir Shesterov, a deputy in the defence ministry’s innovations department. The two were sentenced to six and five years in prison respectively.

The case forms part of a broader investigation into alleged abuse of office within Russia’s military establishment, with at least a dozen officials linked to Shoigu reportedly under scrutiny. Popov served as deputy defence minister from 2013 until June 2024, when he was dismissed by presidential decree.

With AP/PTI inputs