Explosion in Moscow luxury complex kills DPR ArBat battalion founder Armen Sarkisyan
An explosion rocked the prestigious "Alye Parusa" residential complex in northern Moscow on the morning of February 3, claiming the life of at least one individual and injuring five more. Reports indicate that an explosive device detonated as Armen Sarkisyan, creator of the so-called "ArBat Battalion," was inside the building. He died in the blast, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.
Russian state media have dubbed Armen Sarkisyan as the "head of the Boxing Federation of the Donetsk People's Republic," whereas the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) described him as a "criminal mastermind from the Yanukovych era who recruits convicts for war against Ukraine." Since May 2014, Sarkisyan had been internationally wanted for orchestrating murders in central Kyiv, SBU reports.
According to the Telegram channel Astra, recognized as a "foreign agent" in Russia, Armen Sarkisyan was implicated in the murder of Ukrainian newspaper "Vesti" correspondent Vyacheslav Veremiy in Kyiv. In February 2014, Veremiy was fatally shot by unknown masked individuals on the street. In addition, he was notorious for organizing bands of "titushki" (thugs) who targeted Euromaidan participants.
In 2024, the SBU charged Sarkisyan in absentia with criminal offenses related to voluntary participation in illegal armed formations or providing assistance to such formations in combat against the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as aiding an aggressor state. Ukrainian media, citing sources, suggested that the SBU is behind the assassination attempt on Armen Sarkisyan following the February 3 explosion.
Meanwhile, the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, known for its ties to Russian security services, emphasized Sarkisyan's close connections with Chechen security forces. These connections reportedly include Apti Alaudinov, commander of the special forces unit "Akhmat," and Viktor Piganov, the "foster brother" of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who adopted the name Visita Akhmatovich after converting to Islam.
The SBU’s website states that the "ArBat" Special Forces Battalion was created by Armen Sarkisyan under FSB orders following Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. It notes that the battalion mainly comprises convicts charged with murder, robbery, and other serious crimes. Named as an abbreviation for "Armenian Battalion," Sarkisyan earned the nickname "Gorlovka Sarkisyan" because many recruits hailed from Russian-occupied Gorlovka in Donetsk Region, explains the Ukrainian media.
SBU counterintelligence data reveals that "ArBat" initially fought in the Toretsk sector before redeploying to Russia’s Kursk Region to counter an offensive by Ukrainian Defense Forces.
In an interview with the online publication "Realist" in July 2023, Armen Sarkisyan claimed that the "Armenian Battalion" had been established in September 2022, even though it wasn't publicly announced. As of July 1, 2023, the battalion concluded a contract with Russia’s Ministry of Defense. During that discussion, Sarkisyan stated Russia's aim in the conflict was "to reach the borders of Ukraine with Poland, Hungary, and Romania."