Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Soldier Accused of Killing Armenian Family Tried

Valery Permyakov

A 19-year-old Russian soldier accused of killing seven members of an Armenian family has been convicted of desertion as a precursor to his murder trial.

Valery Permyakov, who served with a Russian military base in the Armenian city of Gyumri, is suspected of shooting six family members dead and stabbing a 6-month-old baby to death there in January.

He was captured quickly after the killings near the Armenian-Turkish border and pleaded guilty to the charges, reportedly telling prosecutors that he deserted from the army out of homesickness and randomly picked the house of his victims to find money and clothes, and ended up opening fire out of fear.

A Russian military court in Gyumri, Armenia's second city, on Wednesday handed Permyakov a 10-year prison sentence on charges of desertion, stealing firearms and ammunition and illegal weapons possession. Armenian investigators are pursuing a separate murder probe, and a date for that trial hasn't been set yet.

Permyakov's lawyer demanded at the court hearing that his client not be asked questions regarding the killings because they are still being investigated by Armenian law enforcement authorities, Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe reported.

Russia agreed to let Armenia handle the murder investigation after the incident sparked protests in both Gyumri and the Armenian capital, Yerevan, calling for the soldier to face justice on Armenian soil.

(AP, MT)

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more