Moscow court seizes 5.5bn in assets from ex-deputy defence minister Tsalikov

A Moscow court has ordered the seizure of property worth 5.5 billion rubles belonging to Ruslan Tsalikov, former first deputy defence minister under Sergei Shoigu, and his family members. The ruling was issued by the Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow following a lawsuit filed by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office.

The Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow has ordered the seizure of assets worth 5.5 billion rubles (approximately 55 million) belonging to Ruslan Tsalikov, who served as the first deputy defence minister of Russia under [Sergei Shoigu](/politicians/sergei-shoigu), along with members of his family. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Russia's Prosecutor General's Office, according to Russian outlet Ostorozhno Novosti.

Tsalikov held one of the most senior positions in the Russian Defence Ministry during Shoigu's tenure, making the asset seizure one of the most significant legal actions yet in a sweeping corruption investigation targeting the ministry's leadership. The scale of the confiscated property — 5.5 billion rubles — points to allegations of substantial illicit enrichment during his time in office.

The case is part of a broader wave of legal proceedings against high-ranking officials connected to the Russian Defence Ministry following Shoigu's replacement as minister in 2024. Several other senior figures from the ministry, including former Deputy Defence Minister Timur Ivanov, have faced arrest and criminal charges on corruption grounds. The Kremlin has framed the crackdown as an anti-corruption campaign, though analysts have also interpreted it as a political realignment within Russia's security establishment.