Major general sentenced for corruption seeks redemption in military ops
1:44 PM EDT, July 12, 2024
The Deputy Commander of the Central District of Rosgvardiya, Major General Vadim Dragomiretski, was found guilty of corruption. Before the verdict was announced, the military officer requested the investigators.
Major General Vadim Dragomiretski was detained on March 20 of last year on corruption charges. The court sentenced him to 9.5 years in a high-security penal colony and decided to strip him of his military rank. According to Kommersant, before the verdict was announced, Dragomiretski requested permission from the investigators to participate in the "special military operation," as Russia refers to its aggression against Ukraine.
The convict expects to atone for his guilt by participating in the special military operation and has already submitted the relevant application, said the lawyer of the former general, quoted by Kommersant.
The court found Dragomiretski guilty of receiving a bribe of 19 million rubles from a company that was supposed to carry out a series of works for Rosgvardiya. He also organized a criminal group that included his subordinate Lieutenant Colonel Eldar Gadzhiev, Colonel Mamuka Kochaev, and his acquaintance Aron Avnilov.
Dragomiretski claimed that he was unaware of Kochaev's contacts with contractors. At the same time, he admitted that his subordinate allegedly gave him 2.25 million rubles as a New Year's gift for patronage and promotion.
Will Dragomiretski appeal?
Dragomiretski's lawyer announced an appeal against the verdict, calling the ruling erroneous. He believes that the investigation did not prove the existence of an organized group in which his client was supposed to hold a leading position. "Some members of this group didn't even know each other," the lawyer stated.
The lawyer stated that his client does not have significant wealth, which is supposed to be proof of his honesty. He recalled that the former military officer served for more than 30 years, advancing from Border Service Sergeant to General, receiving many state decorations during that time, and has a disabled child to support.
Dragomiretski's request to be sent to the special military operation zone is not the only one. Gadzhiev, sentenced to 9 years in a penal colony, reportedly applied similarly.
