Sona Truzyan, the spokesman of Armenian investigative committee said, "The body of Russian serviceman Ivan Novikov was found near the ‘Mother Armenia' monument.  Stab wounds were detected."

He was stationed at the 102nd Russian military base. Valery Permyakov, who stands accused of killing seven members of a local family, was also stationed there.

The killing of the Armenian family caused the large protests demanding Permyakov to be tried by an Armenia court. Russian officials insisted, however, to try him by a Russian military court in Armenia.