Russian FSB detains deputy head of St Petersburg TV channel, blogger "Fima Psykhopat" PHOTO

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has detained several people in St Petersburg on suspicion of embezzling public funds, according to the local news outlet Lenizdat.ru.

Among those taken into custody are Sergey Syrov, Deputy Director-General for Economics and Finance of the St Petersburg television channel, Yelena Nikitina, head of the city’s Centre for Regional Management (TsUR), her husband, and blogger Nikolay Kamnev, known online as "Fima Psykhopat". All detainees have reportedly been transferred to Moscow for further investigation.

Nikolay Kamnev

Syrov, who has worked at the St Petersburg TV channel for more than a decade, previously served as acting Director-General and Editor-in-Chief. The channel, which marks its 15th anniversary on air this week, confirmed that Syrov had received a presidential commendation in March 2024.

According to MR7, Yelena Nikitina has led the TsUR since its establishment in 2020. The centre was created by the city administration to monitor government responses to citizens’ complaints and inquiries.

Her name had earlier surfaced during the trial of Ilya Gorbunov, a former media executive associated with businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin. Gorbunov was sentenced to ten years in a high-security prison and fined 500,000 roubles for large-scale extortion and drug possession.

The victim in that case was Aleksandr Malkovich, then a candidate for the city’s Legislative Assembly and former head of the St Petersburg TV channel.

Blogger Nikolay Kamnev, who has been linked since the mid-2010s to former Deputy Governor Igor Albin, was reportedly involved in public relations projects for him. In January 2018, Kamnev was appointed Director of the city’s online television channel Gorod+. He left the position the following year, saying his contract had not been renewed.

By Aghakazim Guliyev