Kremlin says it does not see change of defence minister, corruption scandals as damaging war effort

The Kremlin said on Tuesday it did not believe that a change of defence minister and ongoing corruption scandals within the ministry would negatively affect the way Russia is conducting what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment when asked about he arrest of a senior Russian Defence Ministry official, Yuri Kuznetsov, saying investigative authorities were looking into the matter.

Kuznetsov, who served as head of the Defence Ministry's personnel department, is accused of taking a large bribe, the Russian Investigative Committee said.