Ruslan Khadzhismelovich Tsalikov served as First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation from December 2015 until President Vladimir Putin relieved him of the post on June 17, 2024. He was regarded as one of the closest associates of former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, with whom he had worked earlier at the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and his portfolio at the Defense Ministry included construction, property, servicemember housing and financial oversight. He has been under U.S., EU and UK sanctions since 2022.

After leaving the ministry he won a seat in the regional legislature of Tuva in September 2024 as a United Russia candidate. On March 5, 2026, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that he had been detained. According to the Committee, he is accused of organizing a criminal community through abuse of office, embezzlement of state funds between 2017 and 2024, money laundering and taking bribes. He had earlier appeared as a witness in the corruption case against former Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov. The case is one of a series of prosecutions of Shoigu-era defense officials that followed Shoigu’s move to the Security Council in May 2024.

Sources

• The Insider. News report on the detention of former First Deputy Defense Minister Ruslan Tsalikov, March 5, 2026.
• OC Media. “Former senior Russian Defence Ministry official from North Ossetia detained in corruption case.” March 2026.

Summary entry. A fuller, document-based profile is in preparation.