MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a telephone call to his Armenian counterpart, Serzh Sargsyan, to once again express his condolences to relatives of those killed and to the entire Armenian people over the tragedy in the city of Gyumri, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.
“Putin said he was confident investigation will be held promptly and those responsible will be brought to justice,” Peskov said. “Also, Putin expressed the hope Russian doctors, who have arrived in Gyumri, along with their Armenian colleagues will offer all necessary assistance to the six-month baby, Serezha Avetisyan, who has survived the tragedy.”
“The Russian president reassured his Armenian counterpart that if need be Russia would be send a medical plane to take the baby for further medical treatment in Moscow,” the presidential press secretary said.
Apart from that, the two presidents discussed current issues of the Russian-Armenian relations, Peskov said.
On January 12, a soldier of the Russian military base in Armenia identified as Private Valery Permyakov without permission had deserted his post with arms and cartridges. Later on, he broke into a private house in Gyumri and shot dead a family of six, including a two-year child, and wounded a six-month baby. He left his uniform and footwear with badges and his submachine gun and munitions and fled the scene. He was arrested on the same day by Russian border guards while trying to cross Armenia’s border into Turkey.