More than 930,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in the fighting in Ukraine, according to the latest estimates. General Ivan Popov is likely to be among them very soon.
In an extraordinary move, Russian President Vladimir Putin demoted one of his most senior military officers—and reassigned him to a penal assault unit, an assignment tantamount to a death sentence in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Last week, the Russian Ministry of Defense reassigned Major General Ivan Popov to lead a penal assault detachment on the front lines of Ukraine. The Kremlin’s penal battalions are usually tasked with leading assaults on well-fortified Ukrainian positions—suffering astronomical casualty rates in the process.
The Downfall of General Ivan Popov
Less than two years ago, Popov was considered one of the most capable officers in the Russian military. The Kremlin even rewarded his strategic acumen and ability to lead troops by assigning him as the commanding general of the 58th Combined Arms Army, which traditionally serves along Russia’s southern border with Georgia. Given this record, the general’s fall from grace is all the more shocking.
“The Kremlin relieved Popov of command of the 58th CAA in July 2023 because of his perceived disloyalty and criticisms of the Russian military high command—especially in the aftermath of the Wagner Group rebellion in June 2023,” the Institute for the Study of War assessed in a special report on the incident.
In the summer of 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner Group paramilitary organization, launched a rebellion against the Russian Army, marching to Moscow in response to the successive failings of the Russian military’s high leadership. Popov was perceived as sympathetic to the rebellion, and recorded messages criticizing Russian military leadership—notably Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, also a major target of Prigozhin’s offensive.
Following the failure of Prigozhin’s mutiny, Popov was relieved from command, but his saga with the senior Russian military and political leadership continued. At some point, the Kremlin even exiled Popov to Syria to avoid incurring backlash for other potential disciplinary measures. Moscow maintained a close relationship with the regime of the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In exchange for support against Syrian rebel forces, Russia had access to air and naval bases in the country. Popov’s exile to the Levantine country in January 2024 was thus seen as an acceptable middle ground.
However, a few months later, Russian authorities arrested Popov and brought him back to Russia, accusing him of corruption.
Popov Could Evade Corruption Charges Through Service
The Russian military officer tried to use his considerable popularity among Russia’s military and security services community in order to fight the charges. “The Kremlin had largely failed to convince the Russian ultranationalists, officers, and veterans of Popov’s alleged involvement in the embezzlement case, resulting in persistent backlash online,” the Institute for the Study of War added.
In March 2025, Popov published an open letter to Putin from prison, accusing the Russian military justice system of vengeful prosecution against him on alleged fraud charges. He publicly appealed to the Russian president to be reinstated into active military service. Perversely, it appears that Putin approved his request.
The Russian military leadership emphasizes dismounted infantry assaults to achieve territorial gains in Ukraine. Although the Russian forces have been slowly but steadily capturing Ukrainian territory, their progress has come at a very heavy cost. The latest available estimates suggest a total of more than 930,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in the fighting in Ukraine. Popov is likely to be among them very soon.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Sergey Nikonov.
