A Moscow District Military Court has overturned the conviction of the former head of Russia’s Ground Forces, Vladimir Chirkin, who was convicted of taking a $20,000 USD bribe.
Instead of five years at a maximum security prison facility, his sentence has been replaced with a 90,000 ruble ($1,200 USD) fine. The charge was reclassified from taking bribes to fraud.
Chirkin had been sentenced to five years for bribery in mid-August. The court had also stripped the former commander of his rank and awards (not including the Order of Courage he received for his Chechen campaign).
The new ruling annuls these mid-summer court decisions. Chirkin will be released from custody in the next few hours.
In 2008, when Chirkin served as Moscow District Deputy Commander, investigators believe he received 450,000 rubles (approximately $20,000 USD) via an intermediary for the provision of an apartment to a former officer, Vladimir Lopanov.
Only after Chirkin had received the bribe did Lapanov gain access to the apartment. Lopanov had then notified the Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office of extortion by Chirkin. By this time, Chirkin had been made Commander In Chief of Russia’s Land Forces. Following the charges, Chirkin was removed from his post.
Chirkin has categorically denied any wrong doing. The former commander said the intermediary had tricked Lopanov and extorted money from him by falsely using Chirkin’s name.