In Armenia, the mayor of Gyumri, Vardan Ghukasyan, has been detained along with seven officials from the city administration in connection with a corruption case, the country’s Anti-Corruption Committee announced.
According to investigators, the officials reached a secret agreement with the owner of an unauthorized building of about 1,500 square meters that was slated for demolition. Under the arrangement, the owner allegedly agreed to pay 4 million drams (around 850,000 rubles) to avoid demolition and to receive falsified documents legitimizing the construction.
Investigators claim that Ghukasyan acted in collusion with the city’s chief architect. The two allegedly met with the property owner and arranged for the bribe to be paid in installments. Sputnik Armenia reports that the building’s owner may be Sevak Gomtsyan, head of the “Fabrika” retail chain.
The investigation also alleges that members of the group collected compromising information on city council membersto manipulate them through blackmail. Ghukasyan is further accused of attempting to privatize a land plot under city administration control through a front person.
Gyumri is Armenia’s second-largest city, home to Russia’s 102nd military base, a key element of Moscow’s military presence in the South Caucasus. Ghukasyan was re-elected mayor in April 2025 as a candidate from the Communist Party of Armenia. A vocal supporter of closer ties with Moscow, he has publicly called for creating a Union State with Russia, similar to the Russia–Belarus model, describing such integration as “the salvation of Armenia.”
Earlier this year, in February, Ghukasyan had already been detained on suspicion of illegal weapons possession, but was later released. His lawyer claimed that the case was politically motivated and linked to the upcoming elections. Ghukasyan had recently announced plans to run for prime minister in 2026.
Following reports of his arrest, local residents gathered near the Gyumri mayor’s office, News.am writes. According to the outlet, law enforcement officers blocked access to the building, preventing both citizens and municipal employees from entering or leaving.
