Russian authorities arrest Defense Ministry personnel chief Yuri Kuznetsov

Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Main Personnel Directorate, has been arrested on suspicion of committing an unspecified felony offense, Russian state media reported early Tuesday morning, citing a law enforcement source.

The source said that the case is being led by the Russian Investigative Committee’s Main Military Investigative Directorate. Investigators have reportedly searched Kuznetsov’s home and office and have already asked the court to impose restraint measures against the general.

Court records indicate that a Moscow military court held a remand hearing against someone with Kuznetsov’s full name on Monday, the Telegram channel Baza noted, although it’s unclear what restraint measures were selected.

Initial media reports of Kuznetsov’s arrest came from pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. According to the channel Rybar, it was the general’s past work overseeing the Russian military’s State Secrets Protection Service that caught investigators’ attention.

Yury Kuznetsov has served as the head of the Defense Ministry’s Main Personnel Directorate since May 2023. He previously served as head of the 8th Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, which encompasses the Defense Ministry’s State Secrets Protection Service.