New Details Emerge in the High-Profile Murder of Arbat Battalion Founder Armen Sargsyan

New developments have emerged in the investigation into the murder of Armen Sargsyan, the founder of the Arbat battalion, which took place in Moscow. According to information provided by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, unidentified individuals connected to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the military intelligence were behind the assassination.

“The investigation has established that no later than March 2024, unidentified individuals from the SBU and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense planned a terrorist act in Moscow. Public figure Armen Sargsyan, who opposed the coup in Ukraine in February 2014, was selected as the target,” the statement said.

It has been reported that a group was formed to carry out the crime, which included Varaz Manukyan, Paruyr Matevosyan, and others. The accomplices monitored the victim, studied his routes and security arrangements, and conducted video recordings.

Manukyan facilitated the transport and storage of an improvised explosive device made from the MON-50 and other components. On February 3, 2025, Matevosyan informed about the victim's approach, after which the accomplice remotely activated the explosive device.

“As a result of the explosion, Armen Sargsyan and the perpetrator of the crime, Paruyr Matevosyan, died on the spot. Two victims sustained serious injuries, and another one suffered moderate injuries. Additionally, significant property damage was inflicted on the management company of the residential complex,” the Investigative Committee added.

On the morning of February 3, 2025, an explosive device was set off in the elevator hall of the Aliye Parusa residential complex on Aviatsionnaya Street. Initially, one fatality was reported, and four others were taken to hospitals in serious condition. The Chief Directorate of the Moscow Investigative Committee later clarified that one of the victims passed away in the medical facility. He was Armen Sargsyan, the founder of a volunteer battalion in Donbas. According to one of the hypotheses, the explosion could have been carried out by a suicide bomber.

A criminal case has been initiated for “Preparation of a Crime and Attempted Crime,” “Murder,” and “Illegal Circulation of Explosive Materials or Devices.”