Body of Russian serviceman found in Armenia

The body of a man with stab wounds was found in the city of Gyumri, northwestern Armenia, local media reported on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as 24-year-old Russian citizen K. Antonenko, who served at Russia’s 102nd military base.

The 102nd base, located in Gyumri since the early 1990s, is a key component of Russia’s military presence in the South Caucasus and part of a joint air defense system with Armenia.

The base has previously been the focus of public criticism in Armenia. In 2015, mass protests erupted after a Russian soldier, Valery Permyakov, killed an entire Armenian family in Gyumri. The incident strained relations between local communities and the Russian military presence.

Authorities have launched an investigation into Antonenko’s death.