Russian Embassy in Colombia confirms death of Arsen Voskanyan

The Russian Embassy in Colombia has confirmed the death of Russian-Armenian citizen Arsen Voskanyan.

“There are numerous theories around what had happened on that tragic day (April 2017). One thing is clear, Mr. Arsen Voskanyan died. Presumably while fleeing from captivity”, the embassy said in a statement.

The Embassy said they used both official and non-official channels to confirm the death. Nevertheless, the specific cause of death was not mentioned.

“We are currently in contact with Colombian authorities, international structures and the family of the victim to organize the transportation of the buried body”, the statement said.

Earlier Colombia’s ELN rebel group had admitted a Russian-Armenian citizen it held hostage for six months was killed in April.

The ELN seized Arsen Voskanyan in November. After his lengthy captivity, the rebels claim he was shot in a bid to escape.

“Our boys were careless and (while trying to escape) he took a grenade from some jacket and threw it at the men.” a rebel leader explains. “It exploded leaving several of our boys injured, almost the entire unit of five men. And then he fled and the men shot at him and killed him”.

According to the Huffington Post, the rebel leader said that the issue of the captive’s body will be negotiated.

It is noteworthy that reports emerged that this incident might put the current peace talks between Colombia’ government and the ELN in jeopardy.

Earlier media reports said the Russian-Armenian citizen had gone to the Colombian jungles to collect poisonous frogs. The ELN claimed that he was collecting endangered, poisonous frogs in the jungles of the northwestern department of Choco and accused him of wanting to smuggle wildlife overseas.

Earlier in April 2017, several reports said Voskanyan had escaped.