Russian veteran accused of war crimes in Bucha to run for State Duma after clearing primaries
Former Russian military officer Nursultan Mussagaleyev, whom Ukraine has accused of involvement in torturing and murdering a civilian in Bucha, finished second in the primaries for the United Russia party in Russia’s Orenburg region, securing a place on the party’s list of candidates for the State Duma.
Mussagaleyev currently heads the region’s Novosergiyevsky district. He previously commanded a reconnaissance platoon in the 104th Air Assault Regiment of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division, which operated in the Kyiv region’s Bucha district during the early weeks of Moscow’s full-scale war in Ukraine.
According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in February–March 2022, troops under Mussagaleyev’s command detained a 29-year-old local resident named Ivan Fitzner at a military checkpoint. They had allegedly found footage of construction materials on his phone and accused him of helping the Ukrainian military build fortifications. Fitzner was taken to a forest, tortured, and then shot dead on Mussagaleyev’s orders. In October 2023, Ukraine opened a criminal case against Mussagaleyev on suspicion of violating the laws and customs of war.
In Russia, Mussagaleyev was awarded the title of Hero of Russia, three Orders of Courage, and the Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, Second Class. After leaving the military, he joined “Time of Heroes”, a programme created at Putin’s instruction to fast-track veterans into civilian government roles. In 2025, Mussagaleyev was first appointed acting Deputy Minister of Information Policy for the Orenburg region before later being named head of the Novosergiyevsky district.
According to calculations by independent outlet 7×7, 478 veterans of the war in Ukraine registered for United Russia’s primaries this year, and 43 won. Under the party’s internal rules, candidates with “special military operation participant” status automatically receive a 25 percent vote boost. Earlier, state-affiliated business news outlet RBC reported that United Russia planned to send more than 40 veterans of the war in Ukraine to the State Duma.
Russian forces occupied Bucha at the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During the 29-day occupation, Russian troops are accused of committing a range of war crimes, including extrajudicial executions, rape, torture, and looting.
After the town was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in late March 2022, the bodies of hundreds of civilians were found there, including more than 100 buried in a mass grave.