Balyan Armen Tevanovich
Case Information
- Region of case initiation:
- Moscow, Donetsk Oblast
- Detention date:
- 15 окт. 2024 г.
- Charges:
- Art. 359 CC RF Part 3
- Sentence:
- 12 years strict regime
- Estimated release date:
- 14 окт. 2036 г.
- Case categories:
- War-related, Occupied territories
Case Description
Russia's Investigative Committee in August 2024 brought charges of mercenary activity in absentia against Armenian citizen Armen Balayan. According to the Russian investigation, in November 2022, Balayan arrived in Ukraine, where he participated in combat operations in the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson regions as part of territorial defense units until December 2023 for monetary compensation. In October 2024, the man was detained at Domodedovo Airport. According to the FSB, he tried to "penetrate the territory of the Russian Federation." "On November 12, 2024, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow chose a measure of restraint for Bayana in the form of detention. On October 8, 2025, the Kherson Regional Court found Armen Balayan guilty and sentenced him to 12 years in a strict regime colony.
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