Russia-wanted mathematician detained in Armenia
Russian mathematician and blogger Mikhail “Misha” Verbitsky, who is wanted by Moscow on terrorism-related charges, has been detained at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, Armenian police said on Saturday.
According to Armenian authorities, Verbitsky is currently being held at a detention facility located within the airport, News.Az reports, citing Izvestiya newspaper.
His detention has raised the possibility that Russia may request his extradition. Moscow has already designated Verbitsky as a terrorist and extremist and has placed him on its wanted list.
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In January 2025, Russia’s financial monitoring agency Rosfinmonitoring added him to its register of terrorists and extremists. Around the same period, Russia’s Interior Ministry announced that he was being sought in connection with a criminal case.
Russian law enforcement authorities accuse Verbitsky of publicly inciting terrorism, an offense that carries a potential prison sentence of up to seven years under Russian law.
At present, it is not clear whether Russia has formally submitted an extradition request or whether Armenian authorities have initiated any related legal procedures.
Based on publicly available information, Verbitsky previously worked as a lecturer at the Faculty of Mathematics of the Higher School of Economics, one of Russia’s leading universities.
By Nijat Babayev
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