Former commander of the 58th Army of the Armed Forces of Russia, General Ivan Popov, was awarded a new honor. The “authorities” of the part of Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine controlled by Russian troops awarded Popov the 1st degree order “For Services to Zaporizhzhia Region”. It is reported that this decision was officially signed on July 24, Thursday, by the “governor” of the territory, Yevgeny Balitsky.
According to the provided information, Popov was awarded this order “for courage, professionalism, and fulfillment of duty.” In addition, three other commanders who actively participated in repelling the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia direction in the summer of 2023 were also awarded. Among them are Colonel General Alexander Romanchuk, Colonel General Denis Lyamin, and Lieutenant General Sergey Nirkov.
Interestingly, in July 2023, while leading the 58th Army, General Ivan Popov in his address to his soldiers openly reported to the command about serious problems in the Russian army. He also stated that he was removed from his position for openly criticizing a number of decisions of the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Subsequently, General-Lieutenant Denis Lyamin was appointed in place of Popov.
According to other information, in mid-May 2024, General Popov was detained on suspicion of large-scale fraud. According to investigative bodies, in 2023 he participated in the appropriation of more than 1700 tons of rolled metal worth over 130 million rubles, which was purchased by the Russian-appointed administration of Zaporizhzhia region for the construction of defense infrastructure and handed over to the military.
The fate of General Ivan Popov, his awarding, and at the same time the criminal investigations initiated against him are causing serious discussions in the Russian military system. These events, in turn, continue to generate interest among experts and the public.
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