YEREVAN. Dec 18 (Interfax) - Politicizing the incident in the Armenian city of Gyumri involving a Russian soldier and leading to the death of a 57-year-old woman would not help the investigation, Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin said at a press conference in Yerevan on Tuesday.
"We hold that this issue should not be politicized. A terrible crime has occurred. I offer my condolences to the murdered woman's family. But the politicization of this matter won't make the investigation more effective," Kopyrkin said.
"I don't think I have any right to comment on the details of this case. It's a matter for the investigation. Interaction between the [Russian] base and Armenian law enforcement agencies is very close and is based on Armenian legislation and treaties that regulate the functioning of the [Russian] military base in Armenia," he said.
A court in Armenia's Shirakskaya region has ordered the arrest of a soldier from Russia's base in Gyumri suspected of killing a 57-year-old street cleaner on December 3.
The soldier is being held at the Russian base, a source in law enforcement agencies told Interfax.