Armenia detains fighter of the Georgian Legion: Russia demands extradition

A citizen of Georgia, Giorgi Kinoian, was detained by Armenian border guards on suspicion of participating in hostilities against Russia as part of the 'Georgian Legion'. The detention occurred on September 3, when Kinoian crossed the border between Georgia and Armenia. The Russian Federation has already accused him of war crimes and has appointed a penalty in absentia for October 2024.

In Russia, Giorgi Kinoian is accused of participating in hostilities against the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine. In October 2024, a so-called court in temporarily occupied Donetsk read out a 'sentence' in absentia - seven years of imprisonment. On September 5, 2025, a court in Armenia assigned him a 40-day extradition detention.

'Within 40 days, Russia must send information to Armenia and demand extradition. At any moment, an extradition request may arrive, there will be a court hearing in Armenia, and the extradition itself can happen very quickly,' said the lawyer of the fighter.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia added that Giorgi Kinoian was not wanted through Interpol, but only through a system accessible to CIS countries. It is noteworthy that in Russia, the 'Georgian Legion' is recognized as a terrorist organization, and the Prime Minister of Slovakia even stated that this legion is subordinate to the Ukrainian intelligence.