The South Caucasus has the potential to strengthen regional integration. Farhad Mammadov, coordinator of the Peace Bridge initiative and director of the South Caucasus Studies Center, expressed this opinion after a meeting of civil societies from Azerbaijan and Armenia. He argued for the region's attractiveness from a transport and logistics perspective in the current geopolitical situation.

Three suspects have been detained in North Ossetia in connection with the explosion at a pyrotechnics warehouse in Vladikavkaz, which killed two people and injured 15.

Dagestan's head, Sergei Melikov, dismissed rumors of his imminent resignation, stating that he is focused on dealing with the aftermath of the emergency and helping the victims. He noted that while he is busy addressing the republic's pressing issues, "passions are running high" in political circles and the media in Dagestan.

Today, Novaya Gazeta released a statement regarding the searches of its editorial offices on April 9, following which journalist Oleg Roldugin was detained and then arrested the following day by Moscow's Tverskoy Court.

Citizen of Georgia, 58-year-old Koba Khabazi was sentenced in absentia by the DPR court to 13 years in prison under the article on participation of a mercenary in an armed conflict. According to the Russian Federation, he fought in the Ukrainian Armed Forces as part of the Georgian National Legion from March 2022 to January 2026. According to Russian prosecutors, he received 3.6 million rubles.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs has added Karina Iminova and Said-Khamzat Baysarov to its wanted list. They are believed by Armenian intelligence agencies to be involved in the murder of Chechen native Ayshat Baymuradova in Yerevan in mid-October last year. According to the Investigative Committee of Russia (SK SOS), Baymuradova was fleeing regular physical abuse at the hands of her ex-husband.

A criminal case has been opened for unsafe services following an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Vladikavkaz. The incident occurred today on Partizansky Lane, causing a fire that spread to neighboring properties, including a building materials warehouse.

The right-wing German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has expelled Chechen native Noah Krieger (real name Murad Dadaev) from its ranks. Members of the party reported this to the publication "Important Stories" and the German investigative project Correctiv. AfD did not disclose the reasons for its decision, but it is likely that the young German politician of Chechen origin was stripped of his party membership due to his extended trip to his homeland.

The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) sharply criticized the deportation of Azerbaijani journalist and activist Afgan Sadigov from Georgia. HRW believes he was at real risk of politically motivated persecution and ill-treatment.

The next stage of the dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian civil societies will take place in Azerbaijan from April 10 to 12 as part of the "Peace Bridge" initiative. An Armenian delegation consisting of 20 experts, journalists, and activists has already arrived in Azerbaijan by land.