Legal Troubles and Court Escape
Avakyan had been detained on September 17 in central St. Petersburg. He faced a criminal case, ongoing in court since April 2024, involving 21 individuals in total. He was accused of evading customs payments exceeding 4.2 billion rubles. Investigators claim that in 2015 he and accomplices orchestrated a scheme for the illegal import of goods from Finland.
On September 23, Avakyan escaped from the Kronstadt court under the pretext of going out to smoke. During the session, he requested to be released from the cage to smoke. The guards failed to monitor him, and he disappeared. He was subsequently declared wanted.
According to RBC, Avakyan had signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense in August and planned to go to the combat zone, but later canceled the contract, which led to the resumption of his legal case. The court had been considering a motion to resume proceedings related to his refusal to depart for the Special Military Operation, at which time he fled the building and hid.
Extradition and Legal Issues in Armenia
Avakyan reportedly asked to be extradited to Armenia, where he is wanted. “I voluntarily want to be extradited to Armenia,” he said. He stated he was not afraid of detention and that he would undergo investigation and await the court’s decision.
Authorities in Armenia have opened cases against him for illegal border crossing and legalization of income obtained illegally. Following his court escape, Avakyan hid inside the consulate building on Bolshoy Prospekt, Vasilievsky Island. Law enforcement could not enter the premises, as it is considered foreign territory.
