In the recording, Popov said he was dismissed “one day” after he “outlined all the problems existing in the army in terms of combat work and support” and expressed this criticism to figures “at the very top.”
“A difficult situation arose with the senior authorities, when we had to either remain silent and cowardly and say what they wanted to hear, or call a spade a spade,” said Popov. “In the name of you and our fallen combat friends, I had no right to lie.”
The dismissal of one of Russia’s most senior commanders comes weeks after the dramatic and short-lived Wagner Group mutiny. The boss of the mercenary group, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, had publicly and vociferously criticized Russia’s Defense Ministry and top ministers in recent months, accusing them of withholding ammunition stocks as the group led the charge in Bakhmut.
Popov said he had focused his criticism on “the most important tragedy of modern warfare”: the lack of counter-battery warfare, artillery reconnaissance stations and the “mass deaths and injuries” of soldiers from enemy artillery.
In response to his removal, Popov accused the Defense Ministry of “treachery.”
“We were hit from the rear by our senior chief, treacherously and vilely decapitating the army at the most difficult and tense moment,” he said. It was unclear which senior defense official he was referring to.
The 58th Combined Arms Army has been headquartered in the Russian-occupied city of Berdyansk in southern Ukraine. Russian media reported that its base there was struck early Tuesday and that a Russian general was killed. During a talk show in Moscow on Wednesday, Duma deputy Gurulev confirmed that Lt. Gen. Oleg Tsokov was killed in the attack.
Tsokov is the highest-ranking Russian military officer reported to have been killed in action so far. The Russian Defense Ministry has not confirmed Tsokov’s death.
“Unfortunately, he died heroically, this man deserves enormous respect,” said Gurulev while appearing on the Russian state propaganda show “60 Minutes.”
Popov’s removal drew ire from Russia’s influential pro-war bloggers and hawks, many of whom claimed his removal would have a serious impact on front-line morale.
One influential blogger, Rybar, whose real name is Mikhail Zvinchuk, wrote that Popov enjoys “colossal support” from the military personnel and that fighters on the front line are “greatly demoralized” by the news of his dismissal.
“The conflict between Popov and Gerasimov highlights one main thing: the lack of unity in the Russian Armed Forces,” he wrote, referring to Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s chief of general staff. “The enemy will surely take advantage of this..”
Robyn Dixon and Natalia Abbakumova contributed to this report.