On April 24, 2025, the Tambov Garrison Military Court sentenced the former commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army, Major General Ivan Popov, finding him guilty of large-scale fraud and official forgery. The court sentenced Popov to five years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony, rejecting the defense's request for acquittal. During the debate, the military prosecutor's office demanded a more severe punishment - six years of imprisonment, deprivation of military rank and a fine of 800 thousand rubles. After the verdict was announced, Popov asked to replace the prison term with participation in a special military operation (SVO), but the court did not grant this petition. The case, which caused a wide public outcry, became the subject of heated debate about the fairness of the charges and the political subtext.

According to investigators, in 2023, Popov organized the theft of more than 1700 tons of rolled metal purchased by the military-civil administration of the Zaporizhia region as humanitarian aid for the construction of defensive structures. The value of the stolen property is estimated at over 130 million rubles. The investigation claims that the general acted in collusion with businessman Sergei Moiseyev, who admitted guilt, and the deceased Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov. Popov, as established by investigators, signed documents with false data on the supply of metal, which was then exported to another region. The general himself categorically denies guilt, stating that he was a victim of circumstances, and his signature on the documents was forged, which was confirmed by a handwriting examination, according to lawyer Sergei Buinovsky, in an interview with TASS on April 22, 2025.

Popov was arrested on May 17, 2024, and was initially held in the Lefortovo pretrial detention center. In July of that year, the measure of restraint was softened to house arrest, but in February 2025, the court returned the general to custody, citing violations of the conditions. The trial, which began in September 2024, was held behind closed doors, which drew criticism from some observers. In March 2025, Popov wrote an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking that his case be looked into and that he be returned to duty.