The trial of Russian soldier Valery Permyakov, who is the accused in the murder of seven people in Armenia’s Gyumri city, will take place in the military garrison of the city, Interfax news agency reported.

“The parties have reached a final agreement that the trial of this heated case will take place in the garrison military court of the102nd [Russian] Military Base in Gyumri,” the agency sources reported.

This decision was made based on the bilateral agreement on the status of the Russian military base stationed in northern Armenia.

“The court shall also consider the Russian side’s charges brought in relation to desertion with weapons,” the source added.

As reported earlier, six members of the Avetisyan family—including a two-year-old girl—were shot dead, and a six-month-old baby was wounded in their house in Gyumri on January 12; and the baby boy died in hospital on January 19.

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 on the same night, he was arrested on January 14, and he 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.” And on January 21, the Investigative Committee of Armenia also filed a criminal charge against Permyakov, and with “premeditated murder of two or more persons.” The Russian soldier has accepted the charge, and there are five legal heirs to the victims of this tragedy.