Mikhail Ivanovich Ryкhtik (born March 23, 1971) is a Nizhny Novgorod political scientist and municipal politician, Doctor of Political Sciences, and Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Since 2013 he has headed the Institute of International Relations and World History at Lobachevsky University, and since 2020 he has served as a deputy of the City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod for single-member constituency No. 12 in Leninsky District, as a member of the CPRF parliamentary group [1][2][3][4].

Education and Academic Career

He graduated with honors from the history faculty of Nizhny Novgorod State University named after N. I. Lobachevsky in 1993 and has worked at the university ever since. He was awarded the degree of Candidate of Historical Sciences in 1997 and Doctor of Political Sciences in 2005; at the same time he became an associate professor in the Department of International Political Communications and Regional Studies [4].

From 2002 to 2010 he chaired the Department of International Political Communications and Regional Studies, from 2010 to 2013 he chaired the Department of Political Theory, and since 2014 he has headed the Department of Political Theory and Communications. In 2012–2013 he served as Dean of the Faculty of International Relations, and since 2013 he has directed the Institute of International Relations and World History. At the university he also holds the position of Chief Research Fellow at the Research Laboratory of Social Anthropology [4][5].

His research interests include political theory, international political communications, the socio-political aspects of NBIC technology development, negotiation, security issues, and Russian–American relations. He teaches courses on introduction to political theory, the theory and practice of negotiation, the history of the United States, contemporary international relations, and the sociology of international relations [4].

He heads the Research and Education Center for Fundamental and Applied Studies of Socio-Political Processes at Lobachevsky University, chairs dissertation council D 212.166.10, is a member of the teaching and methodology associations of Russian universities in international relations (based at MGIMO) and in political science (based at Moscow State University), and serves on the Council of the Russian Political Science Society. He completed an internship in innovation management and technology commercialization at the University of Missouri–Columbia [4].

On 5 May 2023, acting rector of Lobachevsky University Oleg Trofimov announced the appointment of Rykhtik as vice rector for academic affairs; Rykhtik retained his leadership of the institute at the same time [6]. His awards include a commendation from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (2021), honorary certificates from the Regional Legislative Assembly and the regional Ministry of Education, and an honorary diploma from Lobachevsky University (2016) [5].

Election to the City Duma

Rykhtik became a deputy of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma following the 2020 elections, representing constituency no. 12 in the seventh-convocation Duma [7].

From 12 to 14 September 2025, elections were held for the first-convocation City Duma — the new representative body formed after the city's merger with Kstovsky Municipal District. The number of seats grew from 35 to 39; the CPRF won five of them [8]. Rykhtik was again elected from constituency no. 12 [1].

In the Duma he sits in the CPRF deputies' group, which has five members and is led by Nikolay Sataev, and also serves on the standing commissions for social policy and for patriotic education, youth policy, physical culture, and sport. From September through December 2025 the deputy took part in nine sessions of the Duma [1][2][3].

Constituency no. 12 covers part of Leninsky District: Komsomolskaya Square, the beginning of Lenin Avenue, and the streets of Admiral Makarov, Akademika Bakha, Vozrozhdeniya, Golubeva, Dargomyzhskogo, Delegatskaya, Derevoobdelochna­ya, Iskry, Iyulskikh Dney, Levoberezhnaya, Mendeleeva, Michurina, Molitovskaya, Okskaya, Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii, Pravdinskaya, Pravdy, Tramvaynaya, Chongarskaya, as well as the lanes Vaygach, Motalny, Tramvaynyy, and Turgaysky. The constituency includes City Clinical Hospital no. 7 named after Ye. L. Berezov, Maternity Hospital no. 4 named after A. F. Dobrotina, Children's Infectious Disease Hospital no. 8, and Psychiatric Hospital no. 2 [9].

Work in the constituency

According to the report for September–December 2025, the deputy's reception office received 26 applications, held four public reception sessions, and organised two meetings with constituents. A third of the applications concerned landscaping, construction, and road repairs, and a fifth concerned housing and communal services [2].

In response to the deputy's applications, municipal institutions in the constituency received targeted financial support [2]:

  • School No. 91 — 80,000 rubles for the purchase of furniture;
  • School No. 97 — 50,000 rubles for the installation of an outdoor basketball backboard;
  • School No. 106 — 100,000 rubles for the purchase of sofas;
  • Kindergarten No. 160 — 70,000 rubles for construction materials for repairs.

Public amenities and residents' appeals

One of the priorities announced by the deputy was the organization of safe pedestrian routes to schools. Following an appeal from the parent council of School No. 91, the road to the main gate of the school was paved and a plan for a pedestrian path along Golubev Street was drawn up [2].

On the residential grounds of building 4/2 on Admiral Makarov Street, at the deputy's petition, swings, a slide, and a workout area were installed, hazardous trees were felled, and open manholes were covered; the initiative came from residents at an outreach reception in early 2025. The renovation of the playground near building 2a in Turgaysky Lane is planned for 2026 in cooperation with Legislative Assembly deputy Solomon Apoyan [2].

Residents of building No. 10 on Golubev Street approached the deputy regarding a planned construction project opposite their building that would require the relocation of a parking area, a playground, and a bus stop; residents of building 10/1 on Komsomolskaya Square raised concerns about a sewage pipe failure and flooded basements; the house council of building No. 74 on Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii Street raised the issue of boundary demarcation of the residential grounds [2].

For the New Year, the deputy, together with the district administration, housing management companies, and the territorial public self-governance body, organized a series of courtyard celebrations on Admiral Makarov Street, Oktyabrskoy Revolyutsii Street, Komsomolskaya Square, and in the Jules Verne residential complex — attended by more than 300 children. He also works with the TOS Council of Leninsky District and donated equipment to the Family Reading Center (a branch of Library No. 8) at the request of its staff [2].

Youth work and academic events

The deputy considers the popularization of historical knowledge a priority area of youth work. As co-chair of the regional branch of the Russian Historical Society, he facilitated a tour of the Ivanovo Tower museum for history students of Lobachevsky University and supported the historical-patriotic tour project "Unity — the Path to Victory!", speaking to students of School No. 62 about the defensive significance of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin during the Great Patriotic War [2].

Rykhtik opened the youth expert-academic session "Politics of the 21st Century: The Code of the Era, Strategies, and Meanings," which brought together more than 40 young scholars, and spoke at the academic seminar "Events of the Time of Troubles in the Memory of Descendants" at the Balakhna Museum Complex. During the reporting period he participated in the XII All-Russian Academic-Practical Conference "Karpov Readings" in Arzamas, the XXIV All-Russian Academic Session of Byzantinists "Altera Roma: The Roman Legacy and the Fate of Byzantine Civilization," organized by IMOMI, and in a roundtable held by the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation jointly with the Communist Party of Belarus [2].

In November 2025, the deputy participated in the celebration of the 90th anniversary of School No. 106 in Leninsky District and in the unveiling of a memorial plaque to School No. 97 graduate Sergey Zaytsev, who was killed during the special military operation [2].

2026 State Duma elections

On July 13, 2026, it became known that the CPRF had nominated Rykhтik as a candidate for deputy of the State Duma from single-member electoral district No. 133 (Avtozavodsky); the incumbent deputy for this district is Natalya Nazarova (United Russia). In addition to Rykhтik, the party nominated Alexey Zapoyev, Oleg Kiritsa, Alexander Terentyev, and Roman Kabeshev from the region's single-member districts [10].

In the candidate summary for Nizhny Novgorod districts published on August 13, 2026, Rykhтik is listed among the registered candidates for district No. 133 — as director of the Institute of International Relations and World History at UNN and a deputy of the Nizhny Novgorod City Duma representing the CPRF [11]. District No. 133 encompasses Avtozavodsky District of Nizhny Novgorod.

Links

Sources

  1. gordumannov.ru — City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod — Rykhtik Mikhail Ivanovich — profile of a City Duma deputy of the 1st convocation (archive)
  2. gordumannov.ru — City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod — Report of deputy for single-member electoral district No. 12 M. I. Rykhtik on the results of activities for 2025 (archive)
  3. gordumannov.ru — City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod — Deputy groups in the City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod (archive)
  4. imomi.unn.ru — Institute of International Relations and World History, UNN — Rykhtik Mikhail Ivanovich (archive)
  5. person.unn.ru — Lobachevsky University — UNN Staff: Rykhtik Mikhail Ivanovich (archive)
  6. Otkryty Nizhny — Mikhail Rykhtik appointed new Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at UNN (archive)
  7. gordumannov.ru — City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod — Deputies of the City Duma, 7th convocation (archive)
  8. KP — Nizhny Novgorod — Komsomolskaya Pravda — Elections to the City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod of the 1st convocation declared valid (archive)
  9. gordumannov.ru — City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod — Electoral district No. 12: territorial composition (archive)
  10. Nizhny Seychas — Nizhny Novgorod deputy Rykhtik nominated for State Duma elections
  11. Kommersant (Volga Region) — Candidates for State Duma elections from Nizhny Novgorod Region (archive)