Part 7/10:
Corruption has long been endemic within Russia, and the military is no exception. Insider accounts suggest that promotions and military procurement are heavily influenced by corrupt practices, with senior officers and generals engaged in blackmail, bribery, and illicit deals. Promotions often depend on how well officers can help cover up these corrupt activities, creating a cycle of mutual complicity.
Recent arrests of senior military officials, especially those holding information that could incriminate others, indicate an escalating effort by the security services to gather compromising material and tighten their grip on power. This internal power struggle exemplifies the fragile stability of Russian governance amid ongoing economic and political crises.