Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has decided to recall the country's ambassador to Russia, Gurgen Arsenyan. This was reported by the Armenian newspaper *Zhoghovurd*, citing government sources. According to these sources, Pashinyan is dissatisfied with the diplomat's performance, believing he failed to alleviate tensions between Yerevan and Moscow.

Seyran Asanov, a Ukrainian serviceman and Crimean Tatar who was taken prisoner by Russia in the autumn of 2024, has been transferred to the "Vladimir Central" prison. A Russian court sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment: Asanov is to serve the first five years in prison and the remaining 15 in a correctional colony. This was reported by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center (CTRC).

Russia does not rule out restoring diplomatic relations with Georgia, though Moscow does not currently view the matter as a priority. According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the first move in this regard must come from Tbilisi.

A drone attack alert was issued in the North Caucasus overnight into August 21. The warning was in effect from 2:46 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.

In Ingushetia, debts for gas, electricity, and water have accumulated to more than 22 billion rubles. The head of the republic, Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, described the situation as serious and stated that "radical measures" would be required to improve payment collection.

At least two people died in the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria in one day. On August 19, rescuers evacuated the bodies of a 48-year-old tourist from St. Petersburg and a 51-year-old Indian woman, and also transported two injured people from the mountains.

Former senator from Karachay-Cherkessia, Rauf Arashukov, serving a life sentence in the Black Dolphin prison colony, ended his hunger strike. The protest lasted ten days. According to his lawyer, Dmitry Trubnikov, the prison administration agreed to fulfill his client's demands and create "normal conditions" for him. The lawyer did not specify what changes would be made.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan presented the government program for 2026-2031. According to him, the document is based on the ideology of "Real Armenia" and envisions the country's transition to what the authorities call the "Fourth Republic."

On the night of August 20, Russian regions were hit by a massive drone attack. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, from 8:00 PM on August 19 to 8:00 AM on August 20, Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 726 fixed-wing UAVs.

Large queues have formed at the Russian-Georgian border near the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint. Over 20,000 people passed through the checkpoint in one day—the Russian Federal Customs Service has called this a record.