Armenian citizen arrested in Moscow for fighting alongside Ukrainian army

An Armenian citizen suspected of fighting alongside the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) was detained by security officials upon his arrival at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport last month, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced on Wednesday.

According to investigators, Armen Balayan entered Ukraine in November 2022 via the country’s border with Moldova, and went on to join AFU units fighting in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson regions of eastern Ukraine, where he fought against the Russian military until December 2023.

The Investigative Committee said that Balayan, who it had charged in absentia with mercenarism in August, was detained in person at Domodedovo Airport in October while attempting to enter Russia and was remanded in custody for an unspecified period.

During interrogation, Balayan admitted his guilt and confirmed his involvement in fighting in Ukraine, according to the Investigative Committee, which added that Balayan had said that his unit had been disbanded as “there were no soldiers left there, almost all were wounded or killed”.