
Pavel Popov. Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
The main military investigative department of the IC of Russia opened a criminal case against the former Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Pavel Popov. He is suspected of committing a crime under Part 4 of Art. 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (fraud on an especially large scale committed by a group of persons).
“According to the investigation, in 2021–2024, Popov, responsible for the development, maintenance and work of Patriot Park, was enriched at the expense of this institution, acting together with the director of the park Vyacheslav Akhmedov and the deputy chief of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Vladimir Shestherov, who were previously brought to criminal liability,” the RF SK reports. - It was established that Popov organized the implementation of construction and repair work, as well as the supply of various material values to himself to the suburban area in the Krasnogorsk district of the Moscow Region at the expense of Patriot Park. Besides,
Through his subordinates, he forced the heads of commercial organizations with contractual relations with the Patriot Park to carry out construction and installation work in his country apartments without paying them.
After building a house and landscaping, Popov continued to provide at the expense of the park technical and economic services of his site with an area of about 3 hectares. ”
According to the IC of the Russian Federation, during the investigative actions it was found that, in addition to the specified site with houses, the ownership of Popov and his family members are numerous real estate objects in the prestigious areas of the city of Moscow, the Moscow Region and the Krasnodar Territory. The total cost of these objects is more than 500 million rubles. The legality of the acquisition of the specified property is also checked in the framework of the criminal case.

The Investigative Committee of Russia reported on August 5 that the court sent to the pre -trial detention center the director of Patriot Park Vyacheslav Akhmedov in the fraud case. The deputy chief of the Main Directorate of Innovation Development of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Vladimir Shesterov, was also detained. “The TFR, with the support of the FSB, is investigated by the criminal case against officials of the Ministry of Defense, the“ Central Military-Patriotic Park of Culture and Rest of the RF Armed Forces of the Russian Federation “Patriot” and the same exhibition center. The case was opened under Part 4 of Art. 159 of the Criminal Code (fraud), ”said the press release of the Investigative Committee.
On July 23, the media, referring to their sources, reported that military investigators carried out investigative actions in the Patriot Park and seized documents there. According to the pro -government news agency, investigative actions are associated with the theft of more than 40 million rubles in public procurement.
The searches and seizure of documents took place at work and at home at Akhmedov. The security forces suggest that the theft could begin in 2021.
The victim in the case was recognized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to sources, the assets of Akhmedov and Shestarov imposed security arrest.
“The construction and work of Park Patriot personally oversaw the deputy minister of defense Timur Ivanov personally oversaw in May of this year,” a source in the FSB of the Russian Federation told Novy-Europe.
- Apparently, the chain of arrests reaches for him. Pavel Popov was one of many generals to whom the contractors of the Patriot helped with the construction of a country house for free.
Other senior officers repaired apartments, the third - provided furniture, various household appliances and electronics. The park was and remains a large feeder for the highest army command. Billions of rubles were “mastered” and “cut” and “cut”. Probably, new accused will soon appear in the case. ”
Patriot Park was opened in Kubinka (Moscow Region) in June 2015. On an area of 3.5 thousand hectares, the main temple of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, the Fudkort, the reconstruction of historical events, as well as exhibition pavilions and military expositions were built.