An employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who resigned in connection with the Golunov case, returned to the police

The former head of the press service of the main Moscow department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Yury Tytov, who resigned after the falsification of the criminal case against the journalist Ivan Golunov, returned to work in the same department. He was appointed deputy chief for interaction with civil society institutions and mass media.

Commenting on the appointment, the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that Titov’s departure was not connected with the Golunov case – allegedly, he was simply offered a job in the Moscow government, and now he “returned to the police within the framework of the law.”

Yury Tytov resigned from the Metropolitan State Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2019 – after his department published photos of a drug laboratory, which were allegedly taken in the apartment of journalist Ivan Golunov. Later, the press service recognized their unreliability, and Titov was brought to disciplinary responsibility. In 2021, it became known that he headed the press service of the Department of Regional Security and Anti-Corruption of the Moscow City Hall.

• The correspondent of “Meduza” publication Ivan Golunov was detained in Moscow on June 6, 2019 and accused of attempting to sell drugs that were allegedly found on him and in his apartment. Golunov immediately declared his innocence and that prohibited substances were thrown at him. After a wide public campaign in his support, the charges against the journalist were dropped and he was released from custody.
• Criminal cases were opened against the five policemen who detained Golunov. In May 2021, the Moscow City Court sentenced them to long prison terms of 5 to 12 years. Last year, the court softened their sentences, at the same time satisfied Golunov’s claim to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for 1.5 million rubles as compensation for moral damage.
• Ivan Golunov repeatedly stated that he had a high-ranking customer in his pursuit, but the investigation did not establish him.