Russian Soldiers Detained in Armenia Over Alleged Assault of Ukrainian Man

Nov. 10, 2026 Russia’s 102nd Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia. RG72 (CC BY-SA 4.0) Armenian law enforcement authorities have taken two Russian soldiers into custody after they were accused of assaulting a Ukrainian man, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Armenian service reported Monday. The alleged assault took place about a month ago in the city of Gyumri, which hosts Russia’s 102nd Military Base. Armenian investigators told RFE/RL that they launched a criminal probe into the assault allegations and had ordered a forensic medical examination after the Ukrainian man, identified as Dmytro Samuelenko, filed a police report. The detention marks a departure from decades of legal precedent, where Russian military personnel accused of committing crimes in Gyumri would be held at the Russian military base. Established in 1995 under an agreement extended through 2044, Russia’s 102nd Military Base houses several thousand Russian servicemen. Russia’s Embassy in Yerevan and the 102nd Military Base have not commented on the detention of the two soldiers. A separate assault incident reportedly involving Russian soldiers in Armenia was also recently reported to the police, according to RFE/RL. Read more about: Russian military , Armenia Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russian Peacekeepers Complete Withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh Nearly 2,000 Russian troops finished their withdrawal from the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Baku recaptured last year. 2 Min read Russia Agrees to Remove Some Troops, Border Guards From Armenia Russian guards would remain on Armenia's borders with Turkey and Iran, said the Kremlin. 2 Min read Azerbaijan's Aliyev Apologizes for Russian Peacekeeper Deaths in Karabakh Russia’s Defense Ministry said one of its vehicles came under fire while returning from an observation post on Wednesday. 2 Min read Armenia Revolts: Forget Social Protest, This Time It’s Serious That thousands of Yerevan residents should take to the streets, as they have done every day this past week, is no real surprise. But this summer’s protest...