Man Arrested in Yekaterinburg After Assault on Russian Scientist Who Later Died

July 29, 2026 Scientist Nikita Zezin. urfanic.ru Law enforcement authorities in the city of Yekaterinburg have arrested a man on suspicion of fatally beating a prominent Russian agricultural scientist, officials said Wednesday. The Investigative Committee, Russia’s top investigative body, said the unidentified 38-year-old man faces up to seven years in prison on charges of aggravated assault. The agency released a brief video showing investigators interrogating him. The confrontation occurred on July 13 when 67-year-old Nikita Zezin and his assistant confronted several children riding ATVs across crops at an experimental research field. The father of one of the children allegedly arrived at the scene and punched Zezin in the head. Zezin’s death was confirmed by Vyacheslav Vegner, a member of the Sverdlovsk regional legislature, who announced the scientist’s funeral on Tuesday. “Nikita Nikolayevich’s heart gave out, and today we laid to rest our friend, an outstanding scientist and a wonderful person,” Vegner wrote. Neither Vegner nor the Investigative Committee, which confirmed Zezin died of heart failure, specified the exact date of his death. Baza, a Telegram news channel with ties to Russian law enforcement, published security camera footage showing a man presumed to be Zezin being punched in the head during an altercation. Vegner included a screenshot of the video in his post about the funeral. Regional police told state media that both parties involved in the confrontation filed reports against each other following the incident. The Investigative Committee said investigators are questioning witnesses and have ordered forensic medical examinations to determine whether the assault directly caused Zezin’s fatal heart failure. Zezin was a doctor of agricultural sciences and a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where he led its Urals Agricultural Research Center. Read more about: Yekaterinburg , Investigative Committee , Russian Academy of Sciences , Regions Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Ufa Mayor Arrested on Corruption Charges Federal investigators arrested Mayor Ratmir Mavliyev as part of a corruption probe involving the illegal transfer of land at a local health spa. 1 Min read Police Arrest Man Suspected of Kidnapping and Murdering Boy in St. Petersburg Volunteer search and rescue teams found the missing boy’s body in a frozen pond in the Leningrad region on Tuesday morning. 2 Min read Samara Region Police Open ‘Nazi Rehabilitation’ Probe After Teenagers Sing Ukrainian Song Media reports linked the criminal investigation to a video of teenagers singing: “Our father is Bandera, Ukraine is our mother.” 1 Min read Russia Arrests Four Accused of Helping Ukraine Army Russia arrested four people Wednesday, accusing them of sending money to Ukrainian armed forces and planning to join its ranks. 2 Min read