YEREVAN. – Armenia and Russia need to jointly conduct, and in Armenia, the trial into the murder of the Avetisyan family in Gyumri city, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters on Thursday.

He noted that, pursuant to the agreement on the deployment of the Russian military base in Armenia, if a member of this base commits a crime outside it, he will be under Armenian jurisdiction. But, as per the deputy FM, it is altogether another matter if this crime is of military nature—i.e., desertion, or carrying weapons outside the military unit without a permit. In this case, according to Kocharyan, the Russian side will be conducting the respective investigation.

“[But] since both offenses have occurred in this case, the law enforcement agencies of the two countries should work [together], collaborating until the end.

“I certainly can say that the trial should take place in Armenia,” Shavarsh Kocharyan added.

Six members of the Avetisyan family—including a two-year-old girl—were shot dead, and a six-month-old baby boy was wounded in their house in Gyumri on Monday. Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian Military Base in the city, stands accused in this crime. Permyakov was apprehended by the Russian border guards near the Armenian-Turkish border, and he was arrested on Wednesday.