Inside the Kremlin's power struggle: The fall of general Popov
Vladimir Putin cannot stand competition. The Russian leader strives to quickly neutralize individuals whose popularity might threaten him. An example of Putin's actions is General Ivan Popov. The Kremlin-loyal military officer ended up in a labour camp because he is too well-liked by soldiers.
General Popov is a former commander of the 58th Army who participated in the wars with Georgia and Ukraine. He is popular among soldiers. It is said that he is like "Spartacus" and he reportedly calls military personnel "gladiators." When some Russian generals fled in the face of the Ukrainian offensive, Popov and his soldiers continued to hold the front lines.
For his loyalty to Vladimir Putin, he was punished by the Kremlin regime. A court in Tambov found Ivan Popov guilty of stealing 2,200 tonnes of metal fittings. The sentence is five years in a labour camp.
The military officer wanted to avoid prison. He proposed to Putin that he would go fight in Ukraine, even at the rank of a private. The Kremlin did not agree to forgive his offence, although in the past some of the biggest Russian criminals had used this option.
Media reports that pro-war soldiers and other generals began to defend Popov. Most claim that "Spartacus" never stole anything, and he allegedly fell out of favour with Putin back in 2023.
He presented a report to Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, describing the disarray at the front. He believed that Russian actions were not well-coordinated.
After the report was revealed, Popov ceased to command the 58th Army and was transferred to Syria, which is considered a demotion. He was then called back to Russia, remained loyal to Putin, and was placed in a labour camp.
