YEREVAN. – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statement on Sunday, and according to which Russian soldier Valery Permyakov—who stands accused of the brutal murders in Armenia’s Gyumri city—will be punished to the fullest extent of the law, makes it clear that he will be tried in Russia and under Russian law.

Ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan said the aforementioned at a press conference on Monday. Kharatyan added that, following this announcement, the Russian media changed their attitude towards this incident.

“It is very clear that this announcement by Putin means he [, Permyakov,] will be punished in Russia.

“They [, the Russian media,] suddenly remembered after Putin’s [telephone] call [to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Sunday] that Armenia is Russia’s ally, there is no need to treat [Armenia] at such a degree of lowly level, and that the news and virtual domain needs to be changed,” the ethnographer noted, in particular.

As reported earlier, 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 January 12. Valery Permyakov, a serviceman of the 102nd Russian Military Base in the city, stands accused in this crime. Valery Permyakov is held in custody at the Russian military base.

The soldier is charged under Russian law, with “the murder of more than two people,” and “desertion with a service weapon.” The Investigative Committee of Armenia also has launched a criminal case on the murders.

The Prosecutor General’s Office had said Permyakov will face justice under Russian law, and this information had provoked a wave of protests in Armenia, especially in Gyumri and capital city Yerevan.