Russian Ex-Military Official Arrested for Bribery in Connection to Headwear Contracts

A former Russian military official, Vladimir Demchik, has been arrested on charges of bribery related to contracts for the supply of headwear to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Demchik, who previously served as head of the ministry’s clothing department, is accused of accepting a bribe of four million rubles ($55,000 USD) in exchange for awarding contracts to a connected company. The investigation alleges that Demchik secured contracts for the supply of essential items for the Russian Armed Forces, including headwear, over a period of one year. The total value of these contracts exceeded 574 million rubles ($7.8 million USD). Demchik faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine for the alleged bribery.