The Meshchansky District Court of Moscow detained 51-year-old Nikolai Elankin, accused of confidential cooperation with a foreign state or foreign organization, reports «Mediazona»*.
Elankin's arrest on criminal charges was preceded by «carousel arrests»: from December 2024 to spring 2025, the man was placed in a special detention center seven times, mostly on charges of petty hooliganism. He was first detained on the afternoon of December 20. According to the police, Elankin «behaved provocatively, waved his arms, and used foul language» in a public place. The court sentenced him to seven days of administrative arrest on charges of petty hooliganism.
On December 27, Elankin was detained again, this time the police accused him of disobeying a lawful order. The authorities claimed that upon seeing them, Elankin «changed his trajectory, quickened his pace, and attempted to escape», and then offered them «active resistance» and refused to show his passport. Elankin explained his behavior by saying that he has a Ukrainian residence permit and was afraid that he might be detained because of it. The court arrested the Muscovite for 15 days. The court ruling stated that the man was detained while the police were conducting preventive measures «to neutralize terrorist and extremist threats».
The last time the Muscovite was detained was on the evening of May 14 at a bus stop, allegedly for foul language. The court assessed this offense at 15 days.
What exactly prompted the initiation of a criminal case against Elankin is unknown. According to him, the Muscovite was engaged in marketing and advertising production but was not officially employed.
* Recognized in Russia as a «foreign agent».