We have a crime when a soldier deserted the area of the Russian Federation (RF) military base, which is a military crime. Subsequently, as a result of committing this crime, he committed yet another crime, this time in Armenia territory, which is not a military crime. 

The Prosecutor General of Armenia, Gevorg Kostanyan, told the abovementioned to reporters in Gyumri city on Thursday, and commenting on Monday’s tragedy that occurred in the city. 

He noted that, pursuant to the treaty on the deployment of the Russian military base in Armenia, even if a Russian serviceman of this base had committed a military crime in the territory of Armenia, the Russian laws will be applicable in this case. 

“[But] considering that a crime was committed in the territory of Armenia, in which case the Armenian jurisdiction functions, we [, Armenia,] have initiated criminal proceedings pursuant to the relevant articles of the Armenian code, and a decision was made to include [the said Russian soldier] as the accused; this time the Armenia jurisdiction functions.

“[But] we are dealing with an international legal regulation.

“We are talking about the Armenian law, and considering that we are talking about a crime by a serviceman in the Russian military base, we are talking [about] international provisions, and the provisions of the RF-Armenia interstate agreement. The Armenian legislation also includes international agreements,” Kostanyan stated, in particular.

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, is the accused in this crime. Permyakov was apprehended by the Russian border guards near the Armenian-Turkish border.