In Moscow, the Armenian ARBAT battalion was "blessed" for the war against Ukraine, and the ceremony was attended by the person involved in the murder of Ukrainian journalist and Euromaidan participant Viacheslav Veremii.
Source: ZN.ua and Russian Telegram channels
Details: A blessing ceremony was held in the Armenian Apostolic Church in Moscow for the fighters of newly-created Armenian battalion ARBAT on their way to Donbas.
Russian Telegram channels posted photos and videos of the ceremony. The pictures were reposted on Facebook by Azerbaijani military expert Agil Rustamzade.
On them the crime lord Armen Sarkisian (Armen Horlivskyi), who is suspected of having organised the "titushky" [hired thugs used to incite violence on 2014 Maidan protests to get protesters arrested – ed.]. and "death squads" that hunted participants in the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine.
Hayk Gasparyan and Armen "Horlovskyi" (in the middle) during the "blessing" of the Armenian ARBAT Battalion in Moscow
Armenian ARBAT Battalion blessed in Armenian Apostolic Church in Moscow
Since 24 February 2022, Sarkisian has been looting and extorting money from companies on the territory temporarily occupied by Russians. His main task was to create a new private military company, which was to be sponsored by the Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who was also at the ceremony.
Akhra Avidzba (Abkhaz), the commander of the so-called Wild Division of Donbas, said that it will be a full-fledged battalion that will fight under the Armenian flag.
Ahra Avidzba (Abhaz), Commander of "Wild Division of Donbas"
The commander of the Arbat battalion, Hayk Gasparyan (Abrek), admitted that he gained combat experience in the Wagner Group.
The investigation into the Veremii case named Sarkisyan as one of the organisers of the titushky gangs and death squads that hunted the participants of the Revolution of Dignity. Yuri Krysin, who was convicted for attacking the journalist, testified against him.
According to Krysin, he received US$20,000 from Sarkisian for terrorising the activists. He later recanted his testimony.