Kommersant: Arrested Russian Defense Ministry General Popov has been prepared for release
The defense of the former commander of the 58th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces, Major General Ivan Popov, accused of fraud, appealed his arrest. This was stated by the client’s lawyer Sergei Buinovsky.
According to the lawyer, Popov came to interrogations on time. In addition, he cannot put pressure on witnesses and hide abroad. Thus, there are no grounds for the arrest of the major general, the lawyer assured.
Against this backdrop, the investigation appealed to the court to replace the preventive measure with house arrest. A new meeting is scheduled for May 24.
The 235th Garrison Military Court took into custody the former commander of the 58th Guards Combined Arms Army on May 21. A case was opened against him under Article 159 (“Fraud”) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The Russian general was charged with theft causing damage on an especially large scale.
The Russian military reacted ambiguously to Popov’s arrest
Against the backdrop of what happened, many military personnel spoke out about Popov, claiming that he is one of the most respected generals in the Russian army. “He is one of those who, commanding his subordinates, stopped the enemy’s counter-offensive in the Zaporozhye direction in June 2023,” noted someone associated with the private military company Wagner. Telegram– Gray Zone channel.
Also, according to the channel, Popov is respected among the troops for his honest reports.
In July 2023, he made a report to the Chief of the General Staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov, at the headquarters of the joint group of forces in Rostov-on-Don. There he spoke as is about the problems in the army
War correspondent Alexander Sladkov wrotethat “no one expected this.” Major General Popov was initially called “either to the investigation or to the prosecutor’s office” because of various questions about humanitarian assistance. “I never noticed any commercial movement in it. Popov is not a thief. “He is a soldier,” Sladkov reported. “In our country, thieves are forgiven or not imprisoned at all.” A soldier cannot always count on this.”
Russian political scientist Sergei Markov also confirmed that correspondents and bloggers reacted negatively to reports of the arrest of General Popov. At the same time, he stated that “this community rather reflects the opinion of the SVO fighters.” Political scientist on social networks addedthat a large-scale purge of the Russian army continues.
In recent days there have been reports of detentions and arrests of members of the Ministry of Defense
On May 23, another person from the Ministry of Defense was arrested – the head of the department of the military department for ensuring state defense orders, Vladimir Verteletsky. On May 23, the head of the Main Communications Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Vadim Shamarin, was also detained. In addition, he holds the post of Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov. He was later arrested and his home was searched.
At the end of April, Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was also arrested. On May 13, it became known about the detention of Lieutenant General Yuri Kuznetsov, head of the Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. The Investigative Committee began a criminal case against the chief personnel officer of the ministry, suspecting him of receiving a bribe on an especially large scale. He later also appealed his arrest.
First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense Andrei Krasov said that the detentions of representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense are related to the systemic fight against corruption. “The fact that the arrests occurred is part of the systemic struggle that the state is waging to cleanse its ranks,” he noted.
The arrests began amid a change in the head of the Ministry of Defense
All events related to the detentions and arrests of representatives of the Ministry of Defense took place against the backdrop of a change in the head of the department. Former Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov was appointed to replace Sergei Shoigu.
Deputy head of the Ministry of Defense Yuri Sadovenko was also relieved of his post. He served under the former Minister of Defense for more than 11 years. Now his place will be taken by the auditor from the Accounts Chamber Oleg Savelyev.
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