Russian Major General Ivan Popov’s lawyer, Sergey Buinovsky, has claimed that leaked secret documents regarding his client were provided to Ukraine by unnamed Russian citizens. The allegations of treason based on this leak are currently being investigated by Russian authorities. Popov, a former commander of the 58th Army, was arrested in Russia on charges of large-scale fraud. He insists that fellow citizens leaked confidential documents to Ukraine, leading to accusations of Popov waging an “aggressive war” and being placed on a wanted list by Kiev.
Buinovsky has urged Russian investigators to open a case against employees of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and the Kharkov Regional Prosecutor’s Office for illegally charging Popov based on classified Russian data. The lawyer suggested that the leaked documents may have been obtained through espionage or unauthorized disclosure.
The charges against Popov involve fraud related to construction materials for military fortifications in preparation for a hypothetical 2023 Ukrainian offensive. An unnamed businessman from Krasnodar Region allegedly defrauded the government of over 100 million rubles by selling the materials elsewhere. Popov is also facing charges of forgery in addition to fraud.