A Russian military court in Moscow has placed Major General Sergei Nikitushkin into a pretrial detention facility, or SIZO, following a closed-door hearing.
The Courtroom Order and Secrecy
The 235th Garrison Military Court in Moscow ordered the detention of Major General Nikitushkin late in the evening on September 30, according to independent media reports citing domestic news agencies.
The investigative authorities have not publicly disclosed the specific charges or the criminal articles under which the senior officer is being prosecuted.
Prosecutorial Demands and Risk Assessment
The Main Military Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation requested the detention, arguing that leaving the 51-year-old officer at liberty created a risk of him interfering with the ongoing investigation.
Command Responsibilities and Modernization Duties
Nikitushkin serves as the head of the training base administration within the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. He was promoted to the rank of major general in December 2024 and previously participated in the war against Ukraine, according to Russian media accounts.
Additional reports indicate that his responsibilities included overseeing the modernization of tank training grounds across the country.
Directorate Scope and Recent Leadership Shifts
The Main Directorate of Combat Training is tasked with organizing troop training, coordinating military command bodies, and developing training infrastructure. The directorate also exercises oversight over the Patriot military-patriotic park. Leadership of the main directorate shifted in June 2026 when Colonel General Rustam Muradov took command.
Broader Defense Crackdowns and Future Proceedings
The case against Nikitushkin follows previous high-profile corruption allegations within the Russian defense apparatus. Earlier, authorities accused Major General Konstantin Kuvshinov, the former head of the 9th Diagnostic and Treatment Center of the Ministry of Defense, of corruption.
