A former Armenian defense minister was arrested in Moscow at Yerevan’s request, Russian state media reported Monday, citing Russian law enforcement authorities.
According to an unnamed police official quoted by the TASS news agency, Arshak Karapetyan was arrested after Armenian authorities placed him on an international wanted list on “several charges.”
The official added that a court decision on Karapetyan’s extradition to Armenia is expected soon, but did not provide further details.
Karapetyan is wanted in Armenia on charges of illegal participation in business activities and abuse of power. He briefly served as Armenia’s defense minister in 2021 before stepping down three months later.
Before returning to Armenian politics in 2016, Karapetyan spent five years in Moscow, where he served as vice president of Gazprombank and later as CEO of a Gazprom subsidiary.
He has extensive business ties in Russia, including partnerships with Samvel Karapetyan, an Armenian-born Russian billionaire. Despite sharing a surname, the two men are not related.
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