‘A provocation orchestrated from above’. Russian soldier-turned-mayor accuses officials of retaliation for corruption probe after being ordered back to the front in Ukraine

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The Kremlin has been pushing for Russian soldiers who fought in Ukraine to take up “leading positions” in government, even launching a “Time of Heroes” initiative to prepare war veterans for public service. But for soldier-turned-mayor Nikita Gorelov, the process seems to have hit a snag. Just months after assuming a role he says regional authorities recruited him for, Gorelov claims he’s been ordered back to the front lines. He alleges he’s been “tricked” and “betrayed” by local officials, accusing them of trying to silence his efforts to expose corruption. Local authorities, however, insist it’s all a misunderstanding. Here’s what we know so far about the dispute.

Nikita Gorelov was mobilized in 2022 and sent to fight in Ukraine. Two years later, in October of this year, he was elected mayor of Sosnovka, a town in Russia’s Kirov region. Now, he has informed residents that he’s been ordered back to the front lines — a move he described on his Telegram channel as a “provocation orchestrated from above.”

Gorelov, who launched the channel after taking office, claimed that his efforts to expose corruption had uncovered “influential and dishonest individuals.” He alleged that this angered officials from the city, district, and region, who then turned against him.

Addressing Kirov Governor Alexander Sokolov, Gorelov said he had evidence of “money laundering” tied to the construction of two buildings in Sosnovka, along with information on other criminal dealings, which he promised to release “bit by bit.”

“I honestly don’t understand the situation. I’ve been serving as mayor for three months. Why was I recalled from Donbas? If this was a plan to pin everything on an honest person and then get rid of him, then there was a misunderstanding from the outset. That won’t happen,” Gorelov said.

He added that he would take legal action to identify those behind the “provocation” and hold them accountable. He scheduled a town meeting for December 24 to rally support, inviting residents as well as local and regional officials. A petition backing him has already gathered over 3,000 signatures.

On December 22, Igor Ronzhin, Gorelov’s assistant, posted a video claiming that Gorelov was about to be arrested and sent back to the war for refusing to sign “papers to embezzle federal funds.” Ronzhin appealed to President Vladimir Putin, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and federal agencies for help, accusing Governor Sokolov of orchestrating “this vile act.” “The governor has sold out and betrayed the presidential program ‘Time of Heroes.’ We now have a program of scoundrels,” he said.

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On December 23, local authorities addressed the issue for the first time. At a government meeting, regional military commissar Gennady Bokov stated that Gorelov is still officially listed as a soldier in a regiment from the region. Bokov added that the regiment’s command had not been informed of Gorelov’s election as mayor and, treating his absence as unauthorized, had asked regional authorities for help in returning him to service.

Governor Sokolov expressed surprise that Gorelov’s dismissal from military service hadn’t been finalized, yet he had been elected to an official position. “This is a legal conundrum. He is both a civil servant and a soldier. Don’t act rashly. Notify [Gorelov], and also inform the regiment’s command that the soldier has been located. I ask the military prosecutor’s office to find lawful alternatives to address the command’s demands,” Sokolov said.

Sokolov also requested a legal review of Gorelov’s election and subsequent actions. He emphasized that Gorelov is not considered a deserter and appeared willing to cooperate. The governor said he hoped Gorelov would provide documents containing evidence of the alleged corruption. “We must work with the prosecutor’s office and Investigative Committee to assess the situation,” Sokolov said.

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According to Gorelov, he was mobilized to fight in Ukraine in September 2022 but was approached two years later by Denis Ikonnikov, the Kirov region’s internal policy minister, who suggested that he run for mayor of Sosnovka. Gorelov said he was granted “veteran leave” to participate in the election.

On October 10, Gorelov was elected. Shortly after, he met with Governor Sokolov, who, according to Gorelov, “personally assured him that the military service issue would be resolved.” Nevertheless, Gorelov said he still returned to Donbas to finalize matters.

“I informed my unit commander and submitted my election documentation and the accompanying order to the personnel office. I was then told that, based on these documents, my service was suspended, and the Central Military District would be informed through a letter from the governor,” Gorelov said.

After returning, Gorelov began his duties as mayor and filed a resignation from military service under federal laws on elections and military obligations. He stated that he no longer receives a military salary and has been a civilian official for three months.

To support his claims, Gorelov shared copies of his correspondence with regional officials, including Ikonnikov, Andrey Savelyev, the deputy head of the regional administration, and an individual identified as “Andrey from the FSB,” where he complained about issues in Sosnovka and expressed concerns about a possible setup.

When asked for comment, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he was unaware of the situation. “I don’t have any information, unfortunately. We will certainly look into it,” Peskov said.

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