The Region in Brief

Armenia

Armenian authorities have detained an Azerbaijani man who crossed the border into Armenia’s Syunik province. After his arrest, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry reported that two of its soldiers got lost along the border of Nakhichevan due to low visibility from fog and went missing. The two Azerbaijanis were spotted in Bnunis village on the night of April 9 and arrested in Ashostavan village early the next morning. Both villages are located about 20 kilometers from the nearest Azerbaijani military posts along the Nakhichevan border. A video circulating on social media reportedly shows one of the men speaking with locals. “For three days I have been sleeping in the grass. I have been sleeping on the ground. For three days I have not eaten or drunk water,” the man says. 

Armenian police arrested a man wanted by the Russian government on charges of deserting the army. Yuri T. (age 23) was detained on April 7. Over 60,000 Russians have settled in Armenia following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian anti-war activist Evgenia Baltatarova told reporters that Yuri T. has been released while his case continues. “Russians wanted by the homeland are not safe in countries with easy access,” including former Soviet states and countries with extradition treaties with Russia, Baltatarova told reporters. She said these countries face a dilemma since they have adopted a neutral stance toward the war but have treaty obligations to extradite people wanted by the authorities.