On January 10, 1941 he was named commanding officer of the 11th Infantry Division of the Romanian Armed Forces. On May 9, 1941 he was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania, Commander rank. Romania joined Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941 in order to reclaim the lost territories of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina. Popescu fought with his division in Southern Bessarabia and at the Siege of Odessa. On August 20 he was removed from the command of the division, and on August 31 he was dismissed and put into the reserves. After King Michael's Coup of August 23, 1944, he was rehabilitated and promoted, first to divisional general and then to army corps general.