 A top Russian general says he has been removed from post for revealing the realities of the front line in Ukraine. Major General Ivan Popov was the commander of the 58th Army, which has been fighting in the southern Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine. In a voice message, he told military chiefs about the high casualty rate and lack of military support. The voice message was posted by Russian MP Andrei Gurulyov to telegram and it is unclear when the message was recorded. 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 headed up an army in the southern Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine (Picture: AP) 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 inte){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
A top Russian general says he has been removed from post for revealing the realities of the front line in Ukraine.
Major General Ivan Popov was the commander of the 58th Army, which has been fighting in the southern Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine.
In a voice message, he told military chiefs about the high casualty rate and lack of military support.
The voice message was posted by Russian MP Andrei Gurulyov to telegram and it is unclear when the message was recorded.