The court reduced the term of ex-Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Popov to 10 years.

The Second Western District Military Court reduced the sentence of Pavel Popov, a former deputy defense minister convicted of bribery, fraud and other crimes, from 19 to 10 years. Lawyer Denis Sagach informed Izvestia about this on July 29.

Earlier, the court, in addition to imprisonment, imposed a fine of 85 million rubles on the ex-deputy minister, stripped him of the rank of retired army general, state awards and orders, including the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree. Sagach told Izvestia that the defense intends to get Popov acquitted.

The case was considered behind closed doors. This was due to official secrets contained in the case file.
According to the investigation, in 2021-2024, he illegally enriched himself by holding a senior position overseeing the development, maintenance and operation of the Patriot Park.

In addition, through his subordinates, he forced the heads of organizations that had contracts with the park to carry out construction work on their 3-hectare site for free. He also brought various material assets to his country plot at the expense of the park.

In addition, during the same period, Popov received a bribe of more than 45 million rubles from the general director of Bamstroyput OJSC for his patronage during construction work.

The initiation of a criminal case against Popov became known on August 29, 2024. He was accused of fraud related to the Patriot Park. According to the anti-corruption declaration for 2010-2019, Popov owns a house of 245 square meters. square meters and a plot of 24 acres. The general's house appeared in 2017, and the plot has been in his possession since at least 2009. In April, Popov received 19 years in prison in a corruption case.

The investigation found that he acted in cooperation with Vyacheslav Akhmedov, director of the park, and Vladimir Shesterov, deputy head of the Main Directorate for Innovative Development of the Russian Defense Ministry, whose detention became known on August 5. In November, it was also reported that Popov kept a rare Mauser pistol and other weapons at his home without a proper license.