A Moscow court has ordered Dmitry Semizarov, deputy director general for special equipment at the Russian state tank and rail-car manufacturer Uralvagonzavod, held in pretrial detention for two months on embezzlement charges stemming from a state defense contract.
According to the Russian business outlet RBC, investigators allege the violations occurred while fulfilling contracts to supply climate control equipment to the defense industry. Investigators opened the criminal case in October 2025 in connection with a state defense contract that TsNIITOCHMASH fulfilled in 2016. Investigators put the damages at 50 million rubles.
Two other defendants in the case testified against Semizarov, according to sources cited by RBC. He denied the charges, telling the court he had been set up.
At the hearing, Semizarov’s defense argued that he’s received numerous state awards, including the Order of Alexander Nevsky and the Order “For Services to the Fatherland.”
In a character reference, Uralvagonzavod said Semizarov had overseen its shift to wartime production and that losing him would harm defense orders.
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