Ivanov

China specialist Philipp Ivanov, in apparent agreement with the prime minister, says that "the Pacific island nations have their own agency, their own motivations and their own capabilities".

A host of senior defence ministry staff has been detained in recent months, including Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov and Lt Gen Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the defence ministry’s personnel directorate.

Former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov — the first official arrested in April and the highest-ranking one so far — oversaw large military-related construction projects and had access to vast sums of money.

Ivanov was a close associate of Sergei Shoigu, whom President Vladimir Putin dismissed as defense minister soon after Putin’s inauguration to a new term in May.

"It's really astonishing from a scientific viewpoint. I was struck once we had all the data," said Ivanov.