Armenian-American Citizen Arrested in Moscow on Arms Smuggling Charges

An American citizen, Andre Khachatryan, has been arrested in Moscow on charges of arms smuggling, according to Konstantin Kim, a member of the Moscow Public Monitoring Commission. Khachatryan was en route from the U.S. to Armenia when he was detained on December 26, 2021, in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport, where authorities discovered a GLOCK-17 pistol and ammunition in his possession.

“He is currently facing charges under the article regarding arms smuggling (Part 1 of Article 226.1 of the Criminal Code). He denies the allegations, claiming to have previously worked for a security company and holds an American license for the weapon,” the source stated. Kim added that Khachatryan is having difficulty communicating with the staff and other inmates, as he only speaks English and Armenian.