Nursultan Mussagaleyev, the head of the Novosergiyevsky district in Russia’s Orenburg Region, has been placed second on the regional primary election list of United Russia and is running for the State Duma, the independent Urals-based outlet Yashcheritsa reports. Ukrainian investigators accuse Mussagaleyev of torturing and killing a civilian in the Ukrainian town of Bucha in March 2022, as noted by independent outlet Astra.
According to the SBU, in February–March 2022, Mussagaleyev commanded a reconnaissance platoon of the 104th Regiment of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division of the Russian Airborne Forces during the occupation of the Bucha district of the Kyiv Region. During one of the unit’s “cleansing operations,” his subordinates detained a 29-year-old local resident, Ivan Fitzner, at a checkpoint, after photos of construction materials were found on his phone. Following Fitzner’s detention, he was taken to a forest near the village of Dmytrovka, where he was tortured. Then, Mussagaleyev allegedly ordered Fitzner’s execution. The deceased’s body was left at the scene.
Astra reports that the SBU published footage of the interrogation of a Russian prisoner of war from Mussagaleyev’s company, who confirmed that the order to shoot had been given. In 2023, Ukraine charged Mussagaleyev under Article 438 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code (violation of the laws and customs of war by a group of persons).
In Russia, Mussagaleyev has been awarded the Gold Star of the Hero of Russia, three Orders of Courage, and a Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland,” Second Class.
In 2024, he completed an internship in the government of the Orenburg Region as part of the “Time of Heroes” program, which was created at Putin’s directive. In March 2025, Mussagaleyev became the head of the Novosergiyevsky district.
