Former Russian deputy defense minister is sentenced to 19 years for corruption

MOSCOW (AP) — Former Russian Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Popov was sentenced to 19 years in prison for corruption by a military court in Moscow, Russian state media said Friday.

The case against Popov, who was arrested in 2024, relates to business activities at a sprawling park in Moscow sometimes called Russia’s “military Disneyland.”

Patriot Park, a project of former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, is designed to inspire national pride in younger generations and showcases Soviet and Russian weaponry. It has a firing range, air base, museums and conference center and a massive, khaki-colored Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces featuring mosaics of Soviet and Russian soldiers.

President Vladimir Putin personally donated money to commission the main icon for the church, according to the Kremlin.

Popov was responsible for developing and maintaining Patriot Park and was found by investigators to have diverted funds towards the renovation of his own properties in the Moscow region, embezzling over 25 million rubles ($324,000) from its budget, according to state news agency Ria Novosti.

He pleaded not guilty and his lawyer said he would appeal the verdict, according to state news agency TASS. He was also fined 85 million rubles ($1.1 million).

Popov was accused of fraud alongside the director of the park and Maj. Gen Vladimir Shesterov, deputy of the Defense Ministry’s innovations department. Both were sentenced to prison, for six and five years, respectively.

At least a dozen officials, all tied to former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, have been caught up in a sweeping investigation into abuse of office in Russia’s military leadership.

Popov was a deputy defense minister from 2013 until June 2024, when he was dismissed by presidential decree.