On April 24, the Tambov Garrison Military Court will sentence the former commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army, Major General Ivan Popov, who is accused of large-scale fraud and official forgery. This was reported by the general's lawyer, Sergei Buinovsky. The case, related to the theft of rolled metal intended for defensive structures in the Zaporizhia region, has become one of the most high-profile in a series of investigations in the Russian Defense Ministry. The trial, which began in 2024, attracted public attention due to Popov's status and his criticism of the military department's leadership.

According to investigators, in 2023, Popov, acting in collusion with businessman Sergei Moiseyev and deceased Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, was involved in the theft of 1,7 thousand tons of rolled metal worth over 105 million rubles. The materials purchased by the military-civil administration of the Zaporizhia region for the construction of fortifications were allegedly sold to third parties, and Popov received over a million rubles for this. The general categorically denies guilt, calling the charges unfounded. Moiseyev, unlike Popov, admitted guilt in full. The prosecutor's office is demanding six years in prison, deprivation of rank and a fine of 800 thousand rubles for the general, while the defense insists on an acquittal.

Popov, who led the 58th Army in the Zaporizhia direction, became known after an audio message in the summer of 2023 published by MP Andrey Gurulev. Popov's arrest in May 2024, subsequent transfer to house arrest and return to pretrial detention in February 2025 caused controversy. More than 15 commanders of the 58th Army denied the accusations, indicating that some of the allegedly stolen metal is still in warehouses.

Popov's case is part of a wave of investigations against high-ranking military officials, including former Deputy Minister Timur Ivanov, who is accused of corruption. Experts attribute these trials to tightened controls over the spending of Defense Ministry funds. Popov had previously appealed to President Vladimir Putin to look into the case, and in April 2025, he petitioned to suspend the trial to participate in the SVO, but the court left him in pretrial detention.