Former Head of Azerbaijan's Presidential Administration Placed Under House Arrest

Ramiz Mehdiyev, the former head of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, has been placed under house arrest for four months. He is accused of attempting to seize state power, treason, and laundering criminally acquired property.

Mehdiyev held high-ranking positions in the Azerbaijani government, including as Head of the Presidential Administration from 1995 to 2019. He held this position for 24 years and was honorably dismissed by President Ilham Aliyev. He also served as President of the National Academy of Sciences from 2019 to 2022.

The conditions of his house arrest are quite strict. He is prohibited from leaving his home, using communications devices, or receiving visitors, with the exception of his lawyer and persons authorized by the investigation.

The 87-year-old Mehdiyev is reportedly under 24-hour surveillance using electronic monitoring devices.

Последние новости
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
Economy
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
15 August 2026

New car sales across Russia’s North Caucasus fell by 21% in July compared with the same month last year. The sharpest decline was recorded in Dagestan, where the new-car market nearly halved over the year.

Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
Society
Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
15 August 2026

Queues remain at the Russian-Georgian border following temporary restrictions on traffic through the Verkhny Lars crossing. The situation has drawn additional attention amid rumours circulating in Russia about a possible new mobilisation, recalling the autumn of 2022, when large numbers of men eligible for military service left the country through the crossing. There is no official evidence linking the current restrictions to any mobilisation measures.

Less than a third of flood victims in Dagestan have received compensation
Society
Less than a third of flood victims in Dagestan have received compensation
15 August 2026

In Dagestan, 82,000 people have received compensation following the devastating spring floods — less than 30% of the residents who applied for assistance. In neighbouring Chechnya, authorities have reported paying out 726 million roubles to those affected.

Georgian opposition insists Russia orchestrated fuel supplies to Abkhazia
Politics
Georgian opposition insists Russia orchestrated fuel supplies to Abkhazia
15 August 2026

Fuel shipments from the Tbilisi-controlled part of Georgia to Abkhazia have sparked a new political conflict in the country. The opposition believes that Moscow and the ruling "Georgian Dream" party are behind the gasoline shipment. Authorities, however, insist that the fuel was supplied by private business and that the trade itself does not violate Georgian law.