Armenia refuses to extradite Russian soldier who refused to fight in Ukraine

The Armenian authorities did not hand over to Russia 25-year-old Semen Subbotin, who served as a radio-telephonist and gunner in the Strategic Missile Forces in the city of Teikovo, Ivanovo region, Russia, and who refused to participate in the war against Ukraine.

Human rights activists who wished to remain anonymous shared the development with the Russian "Novaya Gazeta Yevropa" media outlet, Caliber.Az reports. 

The former serviceman left Russia in September 2024.

In Armenia, the serviceman, wanted by Russia on a criminal case for "desertion," found himself in an illegal status. Subbotin applied to the Armenian police to legalise his status.

“In such cases, the prescribed procedure is initiated: the Armenian police notify the Russian side, Russia then prepares a package of documents for extradition. The decision on extradition is made by the Armenian court. Subbotin was detained for 72 hours — this period is given to Russia to submit materials to decide on the preventive measure. Instead, today Russian military personnel came to the detention center where Subbotin is held and tried to take him away bypassing the procedure,” the activists said.

The human rights activists appealed to the police and prosecutor’s office and reported the risk of abduction. After the 72 hours elapsed, the Armenian security forces released Subbotin and escorted him to the Erebuni police station, where his lawyer was waiting. The man is now free.

By Khagan Isayev