Tuhia he haere tonu mo tenei irava - I runga i te taunakitanga a Ryleev, i noho a Nikitenko ki te whare o, he Decembrist a muri ake nei, nana nei i tuku ki a ia te tiaki i te whakaakoranga o tana teina. I te tau 1825, i uru a Nikitenko ki te Whare Wananga o Imperial Saint-Petersburg. I mawhiti tata ia i te whakawakanga mo tana hononga ki te Decembrist
I te mutunga o te kura, ka whiwhi ia i te tohu o te Kaitono mai i te Tari o te History and Philosophy. I whakawhiwhia a Nikitenko ki tetahi akoranga i te Whare Wananga o Dorpat, engari i whakakahoretia e ia, kaore i pai ki te mahi ki te kirimana tohungatanga 14 tau i muri mai me te whare wananga.