Court jails Russian soldier accused of killing Armenian family

A Russian military court on Wednesday sentenced a soldier accused of killing a family of seven in Armenia, including two children, to 10 years in jail for deserting his base in the ex-Soviet state.

Conscript soldier Valery Permyakov is accused of murdering a man and a woman and their grown-up son and daughter, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren at their home close to the Russian base in Gyumri, some 55 miles (90 kilometres) from the capital Yerevan.

Six of the victims, including the couple's two-year-old granddaughter were shot dead, while their six-month-old grandson was stabbed to death in the January killings.

Permyakov's boots and Kalashnikov rifle were found at the scene. He was arrested after trying to flee to Turkey and since held at the military base.
The crime prompted protests at the victims' funerals, with thousands gathering outside the Russian consulate in Gyumri and the military base to demand Permyakov be handed over to Armenian authorities instead of being court-martialled by Russia.

To appease Armenia, Russia agreed the military court would only try Permyakov in charges of desertion with a service weapon and stealing and illegally carrying a weapon and ammunition.

The murder case is to be heard by an Armenian court but the date has not yet been fixed.

Permyakov was sentenced by the judge at the military court to 10 years in a high-security prison after pleading guilty on Wednesday to the desertion and arms charges.

The defendant sat in a glass dock, answering questions calmly in a low voice and showing no emotion.
Some 20 members of the public and journalists squeezed into the small courtroom, including around five relatives of the slain family, who wept.

"In the last two days, we have been preparing psychologically to see this murderer for the first time. It's very hard for us," said Rita Petrosyan, the sister of the dead father.

It is not clear in which country the soldier is expected to serve his prison term.