Russian Major General Ivan Popov, known for his sharp criticism of the military leadership and his subsequent arrest on fraud charges, will return to the battlefield in Ukraine. According to his lawyer, Popov will command one of the most ill-fated formations - a battalion of former prisoners, known for its heavy losses, CNN reported.
Popov was removed from command of the 58th Joint Army in July 2023 after sending a voice message to colleagues in which he openly criticized the Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, and complained about a lack of artillery support. He was subsequently sent to Syria and later arrested on suspicion of embezzlement - charges he denies.
Although prosecutors had demanded a six-year sentence, Popov submitted an open letter to President Vladimir Putin, calling him a "moral example" and asking to be returned to the front. His request was partially granted - he will not be returned to his beloved 58th Army, but instead will head a unit of the so-called "Sturm Z" - punitive detachments made up of convicts sent to the most dangerous front lines.
"This is practically a death sentence," said Katerina Stepanenko of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). "Sturm Z" were mainly used for frontal attacks with huge losses. Popov has experience with such formations - he previously led the "Sturm Gladiator" battalion, made up of prisoners with military training, trained by former fighters of the "Wagner" and the Chechen battalion "Akhmat". According to investigations, the survival rate in these "meat grinders" was about 40%. The Russian state continues to rely on former prisoners - President Putin recently promised to provide veteran status for the fighters of "Sturm Z". Stepanenko notes that the Kremlin has introduced a "new redemption system" - Discredited generals can regain Putin's favor if they voluntarily return to fight in Ukraine.
So far, the military court has not officially confirmed the deal between Popov and the Ministry of Defense, but the news was greeted with enthusiasm in Russian military blogs: "The legendary combat general has returned to the front!", wrote the famous blogger Vladimir Rogov.