Armed assault on Yerevan police station linked to Russian veterans
12:44 PM EDT, March 25, 2024
The Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs reported on Sunday that three armed individuals attempted to break into a police station in Yerevan, using hand grenades in the process. The incident resulted in injuries to two of the attackers, but security forces successfully repelled the assault.
According to Reuters, which cited the Russian agency Interfax, the assailants who stormed the police station are believed to be members of the Combat Brotherhood. This is a Russian organization that brings together veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya. Earlier that same Sunday, Armenian police had arrested about 50 members of the Combat Brotherhood.
The Combat Brotherhood reportedly opposes the transfer of several villages in the Tavush province of Armenia to Azerbaijan. This is part of a peace treaty under negotiation between the two countries following Baku's occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite agreeing in December to start peace treaty negotiations, many Armenian border residents are resisting demarcation efforts. They view these efforts as an Azerbaijani encroachment on territories they consider to be their own.
"A grenade exploded"
An attack by three armed individuals at a police station in Nor-Nork, Yerevan, has been confirmed.
"Preliminary reports indicate a grenade exploded near the building, resulting in injuries," stated the Nexta portal.
The attack, which occurred on Sunday, left two assailants injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. The third attacker was detained by police following a brief standoff, according to Narek Sarkisyan, a spokesperson for the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
