The Investigative Committee in the Western Okrug: Nikulinsky Inter-district Investigative Department

How investigation was separated from prosecution

Until 2007 investigators of the most serious cases worked inside the prosecutor's office: the prosecutor both supervised and directed the investigation. On 7 September 2007 the Investigative Committee at the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation was created, formally still within the prosecutorial system. Full separation came with Federal Law No. 403-FZ of 28 December 2010 "On the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation": from 15 January 2011 the Committee became an independent federal body reporting to the President. Since then the prosecutor does not direct the investigation but supervises it from outside, and this separation determines where complaints against an investigator go.

Moscow has the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for the City of Moscow, under it investigative directorates for the administrative okrugs, and under those inter-district investigative departments. Their boundaries, like those of the prosecutor's offices, match the district courts.

Who investigates what

Jurisdiction is set out in Article 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Russian Federation. Investigators of the Investigative Committee handle, among others:

• murder, grievous bodily harm resulting in death, rape, kidnapping;
• official crimes: bribery, abuse and excess of authority, negligence;
• tax crimes under Articles 198–199.4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation;
• crimes against minors and crimes committed by minors;
• crimes committed by judges, advocates, deputies and law enforcement officers;
• non-payment of wages, breaches of labour safety rules with grave consequences.

The Nikulinsky Inter-district Investigative Department serves the districts of Ramenki, Troparyovo-Nikulino, Ochakovo-Matveevskoye, Prospekt Vernadskogo and the territory of Moscow State University. The Western Okrug Investigative Directorate handles the okrug's especially important cases and supervises the inter-district departments; it has its own department for especially important cases.

How contact with a Committee investigator goes

• A summons for interview is issued by notice (Article 188 of the Criminal Procedure Code), but in practice it often begins with a phone call. The status of the person summoned, witness, suspect or victim, determines the scope of rights, and it should be clarified before the visit.
• A witness may attend with an advocate (Article 56 of the Criminal Procedure Code). This is not a sign of guilt but normal practice.
• Searches and seizures at a flat or office are conducted by the investigator's order, and at a home by a decision of the Nikulinsky District Court, except in urgent cases.
• A motion for arrest is filed by the Committee investigator with the Nikulinsky District Court; the decision is taken within 8 hours of receipt of the materials.
• Complaints against an investigator: to the head of the department (Article 124 of the Criminal Procedure Code), to the Nikulinsky Inter-district Prosecutor's Office, to the Nikulinsky District Court (Article 125). Personal reception by the department's management follows the schedule on the Main Directorate's website.

Addresses and contacts

• Nikulinsky Inter-district Investigative Department of the Western Okrug Investigative Directorate of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for Moscow: 3 Olympic Village, Michurinsky Prospekt, Moscow, 119602. Telephone: 8 (499) 233-41-75.
• Western Administrative Okrug Investigative Directorate: 32 Marshala Timoshenko Street, Moscow, 121359. Telephones: 8 (499) 243-23-20, 8 (499) 149-12-63. Personal reception by the head of the directorate on Mondays 14:00–18:00.
• Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for Moscow: 20 Bakhrushina Street, Moscow, 115054. Helpline: 8 (495) 690-25-28. "Protection of entrepreneurs' rights" line: 8 (495) 692-10-49.
• Appeals may be sent through the online reception at moscow.sledcom.ru and through Gosuslugi.

What the bar association does

Advocates of the Moscow Bar Association "Kovalev, Malyutov, Tsypkalo & Partners" accompany clients at interviews at the Nikulinsky department and the Western Okrug directorate in any status, take part in searches, contest pre-trial detention, represent victims, and press for cases to be opened where the investigation drags out the check. A separate line of work is the defence of entrepreneurs and officials in tax and official misconduct cases.

An advocate enters a case under a retainer agreement. We discuss the procedure in the first conversation.

Data from the official website of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee for Moscow, verified 21.09.2026.

Data from the official sites of the courts and authorities, checked 21.09.2026.