A senior Russian general claims that his removal from office was due to his disclosure of the truth about the front lines in Ukraine.
The 58th Army, which has been engaged in combat in southern Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, was led by Major General Ivan Popov.
He informed military leaders by voicemail of the high incidence of casualties and dearth of military assistance.
It’s unknown when the voice message was recorded, but it was posted to telegram by Russian lawmaker Andrei Gurulyov.
Gurulyov is a former military commander and frequent commentator on state TV.
‘It was necessary either to keep quiet and be a coward or to say it the way it is,’ Popov said.
‘I had no right to lie in the name of you, in the name of my fallen comrades in arms, so I outlined all the problems which exist.’
He also highlighted issues like lack of proper counter battery systems to help repel Ukrainian artillery attacks and lack of military intelligence.
Popov said his dismissal was demanded by senior commanders – who he accused of treason – and approved by the Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu.
Russian bloggers reported that the order to dismiss Popov came from the head of Russia’s armed forces, General Valery Gerasimov.
They said General Gerasimov accused Popov of ‘alarmism and blackmailing senior management’ after he highlighted the need to rotate soldiers who had been in the front line for a sustained period of time and had suffered significant losses.
‘The senior chiefs apparently sensed some kind of danger from me and quickly concocted an order from the defence minister in just one day and got rid of me,’ Popov said.
‘The Ukrainian army could not break through our ranks at the front but our senior chief hit us from the rear, viciously beheading the army at the most difficult and intense moment.’
The Russian defence ministry has not yet commented on the dismissal.
In a sign that many in Russia share Popov’s criticism, Andrei Turchak, the first deputy speaker of the upper house of parliament who heads the main Kremlin party United Russia, strongly backed the general.
The news comes a day after General Oleg Tsokov, was killed by a Ukrainian missile strike.
Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin political analyst, noted Popov’s statement echoed criticism of the top brass by Prigozhin.
However, he added Popov’s statement was not a rebellion, but instead a call for Vladimir Putin’s help.
‘Such public disputes at the top of the Russian army isn’t a show of force,’ he said.
Speaking in Helsinki on Thursday after a Nato summit, Joe Biden said he is not certain about what fate awaits Prigozhin.
‘I’m not even sure where he is,’ Mr Biden said. ‘If I were he, I’d be careful what I ate, I’d be keeping an eye on my menu. But all kidding aside … I don’t know. I don’t think any of us know for certain what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia.’