Russian military police detained Russian Dmitry Setrakov in Armenia, who left the Russian Federation after the start of mobilization to the North Military District. He is being held at a Russian military base in the city of Gyumri, according to the human rights project “Go through the Forest,” which helped the man cross the border.

“In essence, the Russian military kidnapped a person on the territory of a foreign state. This is the first such case,” human rights activists noted.

A criminal case was opened against Setrakov under the article on leaving his place of service during mobilization or combat operations. He was a contract soldier, but after the Russian invasion of Ukraine he refused to serve and moved to Armenia.

In turn, the head of the Helsinki Civil Assembly - Vanadzor, Artur Sakunts, told the Armenian service of Radio Liberty that the Russian military police do not have the right to detain even Russian citizens in Armenia; only the law enforcement agencies of Armenia itself can do this. He called the actions of the Russian military police “an attack on the legal system of Armenia as a sovereign state.”

Human rights activists appealed to the government of the country and the Prosecutor General's Office with a demand to prevent the deportation of a detained Russian citizen to Russia.