Vladimir Putin has been accused of trying to “coup proof” his regime by “purging” high-rankers.
Suspicions the Russian President is losing grip and unable to control his own staff have circulated widely following the apprehension of Major General Ivan Popov, 49. The general, who once commanded Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army in Ukraine, was sacked from his military role last year after condemning the “mass deaths and injuries” of Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
However, last month Popov was then “arrested on suspicion of fraud,” according to Russian state news brand Tass. But Popov isn’t the only highly regard Russian to be locked up in recent months. Last week, it was alleged that Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff Vadim Shamarin had also been arrested – while head of personnel at Russia’s Defense Ministry, Yuri Kuznetsov, was detained last month on suspicion of bribery.
Trent Telenko, who used to work at the US Department of Defense and studied Russian military logistics, argued the series of arrests is proof that Putin’s purge of the Russian military is ‘picking up steam’. “It won’t stop until no one competent is left,” he added.
Following Popov’s arrest, Telenko wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “58th Army of the Southern Military District, Ivan Popov, was one of the few competent Russian flag ranks. His removal is about Putin ‘Coup proofing’ his military.”
Ukrainian military blogger Igor Sushko has also been vocal about the arrests, claiming there have been “whispers of a rebellion among the soldiers.”
