Murder of Russian Soldier in Armenian Gyumri to Be Investigated by Russian Law Enforcement

Investigation into the death of Ivan Novikov, soldier of the 102nd Russian military base in the Armenian Gyumri, will be conducted in Russia, a source at the Military Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for the Southern Military District told Russian RIA Novosti news agency. 

The case, as stated by the source, will be investigated by Russian law enforcement agencies on account of both the suspect and the killed being Russian Army soldiers. 

On Wednesday, June 17, Armenian “Haykakan Zhamanak” daily inquired of Prosecutor of Shirak province Raffi Aslanyan whether the Russian side has applied to Armenian law enforcement with a request to hand over the murder case. No demands or appeals regarding the case were made by the Russian side, Aslanyan said in response. Armenian law enforcement agencies, according to the prosecutor, are still conducting preliminary investigation into the soldier's death. 

Recall, 19-year-old Ivan Novikov, a soldier of the 102nd Russian military base in the Armenian city of Gyumri, was found dead on Monday, June 15, near the Mother Armenia monumental statue. Fellow serviceman Ivan Boskhomjiyev was arrested on the same day on suspicion of Novikov's murder. The suspect has admitted his guilt and explained that the reason behind the crime was personal animosity.