Russian soldier gets life:

An Armenian court on Tuesday sentenced a Russian soldier to life in prison for killing

a family of seven outside a Russian military base in Armenia, which sparked a major crisis in relations between the two historic allies. The court, at the Russian base in the Armenian city of Gyumri, found Valery Permyakov guilty of killing the family after he left his base with a machine gun and went on a shooting rampage at their home, killing all of them including a 6-month-old infant.

Russia is Armenia’s main sponsor and ally and has troops stationed there. The brutal killing sparked protests in the otherwise Russia-friendly Armenia as residents feared the supposed killer would be sent home.

Permyakov was reported to have confessed to the killing earlier in the trial but refused to give testimony. Two sets of tests by Russian and Armenian psychiatrists certified that the soldier is sane. (AP)