Former Russian military chief detained for alleged financial misconduct.
Last summer, Russian General Ivan Popov was forced to leave his post due to criticism from the military's top brass. Now, authorities are looking into charges of fraud against the 49-year-old officer. Popov's legal representative denies these allegations.
Reports in the media suggest that Major General Ivan Popov, who was previously removed for criticising the military campaign in Ukraine, has been taken into custody on suspicion of fraud. State-controlled news outlets RIA Novosti and Tass claim that a Russian military court has detained Popov for a period of two months. The charges were allegedly made under the "large-scale fraud" section of the criminal code, which could potentially land Popov with a decade in prison.
As per information from the pro-Russian military blog Dwa Majora, Popov is being accused of stealing and selling army supplies worth approximately one million euros. However, his lawyer maintains that the size of Popov's assets does not match the alleged sum. The defense team has requested an outright acquittal for their client.
Popov was previously head of the Russian 58th Army, a significant force that played a pivotal role in the capture of Mariupol and was stationed in the Zaporizhzhya region when Ukraine retaliated last summer. After taking heavy losses, Popov publicly criticised Moscow's handling of the conflict, arguing for the rotation of combat troops and other changes. His superiors allegedly found his opinions alarming.
In a widely listened-to audio recording, Popov spoke of significant casualties and injuries among Russian soldiers. He also criticised the Russian army's insufficient weaponry and intelligence systems and accused the top brass of failing the troops. He claimed that he was dismissed after raising these concerns.
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Despite the ongoing investigation into his financial misconduct, the detention of Major General Ivan Popov has sparked suspicions of a political motive, given his previous criticism of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. Amidst these allegations, there are growing concerns about the potential impact on Russia's military readiness, especially as tensions with Ukraine remain high.
Source: www.ntv.de
