A deserter kidnapped in Armenia claims that he wants to return to the Russian Federation

In Armenia, human rights defenders managed to meet with the Russian Anatoly Shchetinin, who was detained by the Russian military police as a deserter from the army the day before in the city of Gyumri.

International Protection Center lawyer Narek Hakopyan and expert of the human rights organization “Public Verdict” Hasmik Novikova met with Shchetinin on the territory of the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri, where he is being held. According to them, the detained Russian declared that he “understood everything”, did not need help and wanted to return to Russia. He did not say whether he was under pressure after the detention.

Also, according to Shchetinin, the criminal case in Russia against him, according to the investigator, was allegedly closed. Human rights activists have no confirmation of this information.

Shchetinin also reported that they had already tried to take him to his family, but when he crossed the border, he was refused by the Armenian border guards. Later, the publication “Vazhnye istorii” reported that the reason for the refusal was that Shchetinin was declared wanted in Russia. The permission to take him out of the country, as it is said, must be given by the Minister of Justice of Armenia.

The day before, the Armenian branch of the human rights organization Helsinki Civil Assembly declared the illegality of Shchetinin’s abduction and appealed to the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia with the demand to prevent the Russian’s deportation, release him, and bring to justice those who detained him.

“Mediazon” with reference to acquaintances of Shchetinin writes that he lived in Armenia illegally and wanted to return to Russia, but he did not have money for a ticket.

Presumably, he served in the Russian army under contract and moved to Armenia about six months ago, before that he deserted from the unit when the commanders talked about an imminent business trip to the war in Ukraine. In Russia, he was declared wanted.

Earlier, the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly reported on mass surveillance in Armenia of Russian citizens who left their country for political reasons. In December, Dmitriy Setrakov, a former military man who evaded participation in the war against Ukraine, was also detained by the Russian military police in Armenia. He was also taken to the territory of the Russian military base in Gyumri, after which he was taken to Russia. This is the first known similar case.