By Ruzanna Khachatrian
An investigation group of Armenia’s Prosecutor-General’s Office has brought charges against two men over an attack on a group of Russian servicemen which resulted in a fatal shooting of one Russian officer.The crime occurred in the village of Arinj on the outskirts of Yerevan and stemmed from a quarrel between two armed Armenians and a vehicle carrying five Russian servicemen shortly after midnight on August 6. Two of the Russian servicemen were subjected to unmotivated beaten before their vehicle was fired upon by the men armed with hunting rifles, fatally wounding 22-year-old Dmitry Yermolov, who later died on the way to hospital.
Sona Truzian, a spokesperson for the Prosecutor-General’s Office, told RFE/RL that Artem Andreasian and Gor Balian are charged on two counts of Armenia’s criminal code: article 118 (beating) and points 6 and 10 of part 2 of article 104 (a murder committed in a manner dangerous for the lives of many people; for motives of hooliganism). A Yerevan court has issued arrest warrants for both indicted men.
Several forensic examinations have been appointed, including medial, ballistic and chemical to establish a number of circumstances in the case that may change the volume of indictment.
Truzian confirmed that a bullet was found in the body of the killed Russian officer but said it was yet a matter for experts to establish which rifle it was released from.
The murder charge under article 104 envisages 8 to 15 years in prison or a life sentence. The charge under article 118 envisages a fine of 100,000 drams (approx. $300) or two months in jail the longest.