If the Truth creates troubles for the Strongman, then he dismisses the person from service for stating Facts.

A Russian commander has recently been removed from his post after he revealed the real situation on the battlefield in Ukraine and the plight of the Russian troops. Major General Ivan Ivanovich Popov of the Russian Ground Forces commanded the Armed Forces in the Southern Zaporizhzhia region in Ukraine. In an audio message, he described the actual condition of the Russian soldiers stationed in Zaporizhzhia. Immediately after that, a new person became the head of Wagner, a mercenary Army that has become a rebel against the Vladimir Putin Administration in Moscow. No one knows the whereabouts of former Wagner leader Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin. In such a situation, President Putin made Andrei “Grey Hair” Troshev as the Chief of Wagner Group.

Prigozhin complained that his soldiers were being left helpless on the battlefield, as they did not receive military aid. He even alleged that the missile attacks were carried out on Wagner on the orders of the Russian Administration! The Wagner Forces, led by Prigozhin, declared a mutiny a few weeks ago. However, the rebellion suddenly stopped, and the Kremlin reportedly sent Prigozhin into exile in Belarus. Since then, no one knows about Prigozhin’s whereabouts. The development left the future of Wagner Army uncertain.

In such a situation, Major General Popov has come to the limelight. Popov’s voice appeared in an audio message posted by Russian politician Andrey Viktorovich Gurulyov on social media. He claimed that he was removed from his post for speaking the truth. Popov stressed: “I drew attention to the greatest tragedy of modern war – the lack of artillery reconnaissance and counter-strikes, and the multiple deaths and injuries caused by enemy artillery.” He added: “The soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces could not break through our front, but from behind the commander-in-chief dealt us a treacherous blow by decapitating the Army at the most critical and tense moment.”

Speaking about conditions on the battlefield, Popov said: “I have always been honest, from the first day I arrived in our Army. Therefore, I honestly tell you: a difficult situation arose with the senior authorities, when it was necessary either to remain silent and cowardly and say what they wanted to hear, or to call a spade a spade. And in the name of you, in the name of all our military friends who died, I had no right to lie, so I outlined all the problematic issues that exist today in the Army.” It may be noted that Prigozhin had made a similar complaint.

Popov’s military call sign was Spartacus. He alleged that one of the reasons for the brutal death of Russian soldiers at the hands of Ukrainian Forces was the negligence of the Russian Government and the lack of proper weapons.

Gurulyov is a member of United Russia Party, the biggest political outfit of his country. Although Gurulyov posted the audio message, the Duma legislator did not reveal how he got the message.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das