Title: Russian General Sacked After Accusing Defense Ministry of Betrayal in Ukraine
Subtitle: Turmoil in Russian Military Leadership Surfaces Amidst Open Dispute
(CNN) – In a shocking turn of events, General Ivan Popov, a senior Russian military officer commanding forces in occupied southern Ukraine, has been relieved of his post after alleging that the Defense Ministry leaders in Moscow betrayed their troops by withholding adequate support. General Popov, who served as the commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army, was one of the highest-ranking officers involved in the Russian campaign in Ukraine.
The ousted general raised grave concerns in a voice memo posted on Telegram, highlighting the lack of counter-battery combat, absence of artillery reconnaissance stations, and the significant loss of lives and injuries sustained by their troops due to enemy artillery. The recording was made public by Andrey Gurulev, a member of the Russian Parliament and former deputy commander of the Southern Military District.
“I had no right to lie, therefore I outlined all the problematic issues that exist in the military today in terms of combat work and support,” General Popov stated in the audio message, further alleging betrayal by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and accusing him of treason. He expressed his disappointment with the high-ranking Kremlin official for initiating this treacherous act at such a difficult and precarious juncture for the army.
Additional turmoil emerged when reports indicated that Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, the deputy commander of the Southern Military District, was killed in an attack on the 58th Army reserve command post near Berdyansk, where the army is headquartered. The strike occurred via a British Storm Shadow cruise missile, resulting in the death of the Russian general.
The firing of General Popov and the open dispute over the campaign’s conduct mark an unprecedented event in the Russian military leadership, according to analysts. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted Popov’s notification of top general Valery Gerasimov about the need for rotation of forces in the 58th Combined Army, which had been actively impeding Ukrainian advances in western Zaporizhia. The analysis further revealed that Russian forces lacked operational reserves, making defense lines fragile against Ukrainian counteroffensives.
Only three weeks prior, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary group Wagner, had led a short-lived mutiny due to the Russian Defense Ministry’s alleged lack of support for the troops fighting in Ukraine. This incident, combined with General Popov’s dismissal, highlights the ongoing discontent within the Russian military leadership. Furthermore, General Sergey Surovikin, who has been absent from public view since the failed rebellion led by Wagner, is reportedly “resting,” as disclosed by a Russian lawmaker. Documents earlier revealed Surovikin’s involvement with a private military company.
The removal of General Popov and the subsequent revelation of internal disputes within the Russian military not only underscore the challenges faced by Moscow in its campaign in Ukraine but also raise questions about the unity and effectiveness of its forces. As the situation continues to unfold, the ramifications for the ongoing conflict remain uncertain.