Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ "I fucked him up so bad that the bastard fainted," says Major General Ivan Popov of the conversation he had with the head of Russia's armed forces, General Valery Gerasimov, that led to Popov's dismissal as the commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army. ⬇️

2/ An audio recording has been published of part of a conversation between Popov and his former subordinates, in which he talks about his dismissal in July 2023 after he complained about high casualties and the lack of artillery support.

3/ According to the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel, the 58th CAA is suffering from multiplying personnel losses as well as "instances of problems being glossed over when reporting to the leadership." It describes the contact of Popov's recorded remarks:

4/ "The officers of the 58th Army, not waiting for support from the new command and the General Staff, turned to their former commander Ivan Popov. In response, General Popov urged the officers to stand their ground and report only the truth."

5/ "In addition, he described exactly how his conversation with Gerasimov took place on the eve of his decision to resign."

6/ In the recording, Popov tells an unidentified person: "You and I are absolutely alike in this, [that's] just the truth. Especially when you have soldiers behind you and suddenly you have the lives of 1,000 people in your hands.

7/ "If I were cowardly, then I would look into the eyes of my soldiers and officers, I would simply lose face for the rest of my life and then I would never forgive myself for this cowardice.

8/ "I fucked [Gerasimov] up so bad that the bastard fainted. It was a straightforward conversation."

This fits with an earlier description of Popov's confrontation with Gerasimov in a leaked audio message published on Telegram by Russian MP Andrei Gurulyov.

9/ In that message, Popov says:

"I also raised a number of other problems and expressed it all at the highest level frankly and extremely harshly.

10/ "I had no right to lie, therefore, I outlined all the problematic issues that exist today in the army in terms of combat work and support."

11/ The recording is likely related to recent reports that officers in the 58th CAA, which is fighting on the Zaporizhia front, have maintained contact with Popov as the situation has worsened there during the Ukrainian counter-offensive. He was said to be a popular commander.

12/ A Russian Telegram channel comments that Popov "states that all the problems that he reported in his report have only worsened and no one is taking any action to eliminate them."

13/ This view is corroborated by the Russian milblogger Yegor Guzenko on his 'Thirteenth' Telegram channel. He says: "I fully confirm this information. I knew about the breakthrough in that area [near Verbove] a week ago.

14/ "I dare to state the fact that slowly but surely the Khokhols [Ukrainians] are advancing, but the TV is full of "goida" [war cries]. Well, soon the veil will be lifted.

15/ "What they are thinking up there, I personally do not understand. Are they hoping for a deal? It won't work on our terms." /end

Sources:
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🔹 t.me/vchkogpu/41535
t.me/apwagner/12175
t.me/Separ13_13/185…