Pitkeev debuted internationally in the 2012–13 season, placing sixth in the United States and eighth in Slovenia on the Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series.

At the Russian Championships, Pitkeev placed fifth in his second appearance on the senior level and then won the junior title, finishing 1.88 points ahead of Petrov.

Pitkeev began the 2014–15 season with a bronze medal at the 2014 Lombardia Trophy, an ISU Challenger Series (CS) event and his first senior international.

[7] In March 2016, Pitkeev left his longtime coaches, Eteri Tutberidze and Sergei Dudakov, to train at CSKA Moscow under Elena Buianova.

[8] On 13 September, Pitkeev withdrew from both of his 2016–17 Grand Prix assignments, the Trophée de France and NHK Trophy,[9][10] due to his back injury.

[7] In late June, Pitkeev announced his retirement from singles skating due to chronic back injuries and that he would switch to ice dance.