The Gyumri tragedy, where the suspect is Russian serviceman Valery Permyakov, must not be politicized, Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Ivan Volynkin said in an interview to Sputnik.
"We are shocked with this outrageous crime and mourn for those killed together with the Armenian people. Those who committed this felony must be punished most severely.
Currently competent authorities in Armenia and Russia are investigating the case so as to see what actually happened. The investigators are acting in line with the agreement on the terms of the deployment of the 102nd Russian military base in the territory of Armenia," Volynkin said.
The Russian Ambassador shares the emotions of people in Gyumri and all over Armenia. "They have the right to come here and to express their views and emotions, but I think this problem must not be politicized. Crime has no nationality, especially in this case. We must not make politics of this. I think the investigators will disclose this crime, and the criminal will be punished appropriately," Volynkin said.
A family of six persons was killed in Gyumri on Jan 12. The suspect is Russian serviceman Valery Permyakov, who has been caught and is now being kept in the 102nd Russian military base. On Jan 14 Armenia's Prosecutor General Gevorg Kostanyan said that they had not considered asking the Russians to give Permyakov to the Armenian authorities, but following protest actions near the Russian base later in the day, he said that Permyakov would be punished most severely in the territory of Armenia and the Armenians would be able to follow the process.