Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson and poet and songwriter Maria Zakharova has once again, and not for the first time, commented on Alla Pugacheva's controversial interview last year, which, incidentally, turned 77 today.

The Foreign Ministries of Russia and Azerbaijan confirmed the agreement reached between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev to resolve the consequences of the crash of the AZAL Embraer 190, including the issue of compensation for the victims. The Russian side officially confirmed the strike on the passenger airliner as a result of "the unintentional action of the air defense system in Russian airspace."

Ali Karimli, Chairman of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), offered a critical assessment of the current economic situation in Azerbaijan. Citing official data, he stated that in the first quarter of 2026, economic growth in Georgia was 8.4%, while in Armenia it was 7.4%. In contrast, Azerbaijan's economy showed negative dynamics, contracting by 0.3%.

Samvel Karapetyan, Russian billionaire and leader of the opposition party "Strong Armenia," who is currently under house arrest in Yerevan, has initiated the process of renouncing his Russian and Cypriot citizenships. The goal of this step is to qualify for the June 7 parliamentary elections, for which Armenian law requires only Armenian citizenship.

The Explainer Project suggests that the arrest of investigative journalist Oleg Roldugin of Novaya Gazeta may be linked to his investigation of assets acquired by individuals close to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov following the "nationalization" of the Russian divisions of the major French dairy producer Danone. The publication's source claims that investigators are attempting to formulate charges against the journalist without disclosing the names of individuals associated with Kadyrov, which explains the lack of official information about any charges against Roldugin.

On Tuesday morning, searches were conducted at the offices of the regional publication Sapa in Vladikavkaz. According to the media outlet's website, unknown individuals in civilian clothes raided the office. After reporting the raid, the editorial staff disappeared.

A court in Dagestan has sentenced three residents of the republic for participating in the At-Takfir Wal-Hijra organization, which is banned and designated as "extremist" in Russia. The final sentences range from 2.5 years probation to six years in prison.

The Georgian opposition has seen the change of government in Hungary as a signal of change, while the ruling party hopes for a continuation of the policies of outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his "pro-Russian" stance.

Novaya Gazeta journalist Oleg Roldugin has been charged under Part 3 of Article 272 of the Russian Criminal Code (illegal access to computer information as part of a group), the newspaper reports.

During his visit to the Georgian capital, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty held meetings with representatives of the non-governmental sector and then with the country's Public Defender.