Armenia Declines to Hand Over Russian Soldier Who Refused to Fight in Ukraine

The Armenian government has reportedly refused to extradite a Russian soldier who fled his homeland after refusing to fight in the war against Ukraine. This case has brought international attention to the growing number of Russian soldiers seeking refuge in Armenia and the quiet pressure Moscow is placing on its supposed allies.

The soldier in question, 25-year-old Semyon Subbotin, once served as a radio operator and gunner in Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces. In September 2024, Subbotin made a life-altering decision—he escaped from Russia with the help of a volunteer group known as Go to the Forest, which helps Russian soldiers desert and flee.

After arriving in Armenia, Subbotin was placed on an interstate wanted list by the Russian government, which accused him of desertion. According to Novaya Gazeta Europe, Subbotin received threats and feared that Russian agents had been sent to either force him back to Russia or kill him.

Knowing he was being hunted, Subbotin turned to the Armenian police for protection. They detained him for 72 hours and informed the Russian side, as required by international agreements. But what followed revealed a serious threat to Armenian sovereignty: Russian military officials reportedly showed up at the detention center and tried to bypass legal procedures to remove Subbotin.

Thanks to the efforts of Armenian activists who alerted local law enforcement and the Prosecutor’s Office, the attempted illegal removal was stopped. Subbotin was released after the legal detention period ended. As of now, Armenia has not handed him over, and the Russian government has 40 days to submit a formal extradition request. If they fail to do so, Armenia will have no obligation to detain or extradite him.

This isn’t the first time Russian deserters have found themselves targeted on Armenian soil. In December 2023, Russian soldier Dmitry Setrakov was detained in the city of Gyumri and quietly transferred to Russia, despite Armenian officials claiming ignorance of his disappearance. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan later admitted that the situation was deeply troubling and that Armenia was investigating what he described as possible illegal actions on its own territory.

Another case followed in April 2024, when Russian deserter Anatoly Shchetinin was allegedly kidnapped by Russian military police in Gyumri. A video later released by Russian state media showed Shchetinin inside a Russian military base claiming he left voluntarily. But the credibility of such confessions remains questionable, especially considering Russia’s long history of using torture and threats to force statements.

Reports from human rights organizations show a worrying pattern. Russian citizens escaping political persecution in their own country have described being followed and watched in Armenia. Some have reported seeing men in Russian military uniforms staking out their homes. Others said that the people gathering this information were driving unregistered cars with Armenian license plates—vehicles typically used for undercover surveillance.

These cases raise serious concerns. Armenia, a country still recovering from war and struggling with regional threats, is now facing internal pressure from a so-called ally. Russia continues to operate on Armenian soil in ways that violate the country’s independence and threaten the safety of those seeking refuge.

By refusing to extradite Subbotin, Armenia has taken a small but meaningful stand. It shows that the Armenian people are not willing to allow foreign powers to act lawlessly within their borders. In doing so, Armenia sends a clear message: this land is not a playground for outside interference, and those fleeing oppression may still find justice here.

—

Support independent reporting from the region by subscribing to The Armenian Report. Our team is funded solely by readers like you.