Russian military police have detained a Russian citizen who fled to Armenia to avoid fighting in Ukraine, this according to the Armenian branch of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (HCA).

The HCA, located in Vanadzor, reports that Anatoliy Shchetinin was detained at the Russian military base in Gyumri and is awaiting transfer to Russia.

The HCA describes the incident as a violation of Armenian law and calls on the Armenian government to take urgent measures to release Shchetinin and prosecute his abductors.

Last December, Russian military police detained another Russian citizen Dmitry Setrakov, who fled to Armenia to avoid being sent to the war in Ukraine after being mobilized.

Setrakov, also detained at the Russian military base in Gyumri, was eventually transferred to Russia.

Armenian law enforcement agencies were still “investigating” the case when Setrakov was sent back to Russia. Armenia’s Prosecutor General's Office (GPO) today issued a statement that it never received a request by Moscow to arrest, detain and extradite Setrakov.