A Russian mathematician detained in Yerevan has been released from custody

Moscow mathematician Mikhail Verbitsky, detained in the Armenian capital on the night of June 13, has been released from custody. Local media reported this, citing his lawyer, Vache Simonyan.

As his lawyer explained, the release means that the Russian side failed to submit an official arrest warrant to the Armenian Prosecutor's Office. However, the scientist remains in the country and cannot leave the country, as his name is included in the Russian wanted list, which is automatically recorded in the border control system. According to Simonyan, in such cases, the individual is effectively restricted in their movement until a decision is made regarding possible extradition or removal from the wanted list.

Mathematician and blogger Mikhail Verbitsky was detained at Zvartnots Airport on the night of June 13 on an international warrant issued by Russia. He taught at several universities, including the Higher School of Economics and the University of Glasgow. He left Russia in 2015 and now lives in Brazil. In 2025, Russian authorities placed him on a wanted list and added him to a list of "terrorists and extremists."

The scientist's wife, Yulia Fridman, said that two criminal cases had been opened against him in Russia: for "discrediting" the army and for justifying terrorism. The second charge, she said, stemmed from posts in which Verbitsky criticized the investigation methods used to investigate the Crocus City Hall attack. Fridman added that his lawyers were advising the mathematician to seek political asylum in Armenia.

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A Russian mathematician detained in Yerevan has been released from custody
Human rights
A Russian mathematician detained in Yerevan has been released from custody
15 June 2026

Moscow mathematician Mikhail Verbitsky, detained in the Armenian capital on the night of June 13, has been released from custody. Local media reported this, citing his lawyer, Vache Simonyan.